The Exclusive
by mrsaubergine
Summary: Edward Masen is a gorgeous politician about to become prime minister of New Zealand. Everybody loves him, but behind the public persona he has a secret desire. Political journalist Bella Swan is determined to find out what it is.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first attempt at writing fiction, and I am hugely grateful to my awesome Canadian buddies debb24601 and WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) for their encouragement and Robporn. If you aren't already, please go and read Debb's story, **_**1929**_**, cos it's great. I'd also like to give a shout-out to all my girls over at RAoR, without whom I would still be a friendless lurker *mwah mwah***

**You all know Twilight character names belong to Stephanie Meyer. I've just moved them to New Zealand. As hunterhunting would say, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter One:**

_Fuck. What did he just say? They're all clapping. Shit. I really can't concentrate today. There is just too much pretty._

To cover the fact I wasn't clapping, I wrote a quick note to Alice on my shorthand notebook and pushed it along the press bench in front of her.

**You taking notes?**

She smirked and wrote a reply: **Yes. Are you distracted again?**

**Too much pretty. Can't breathe.**

She raised her eyebrows at me, then started writing me another note. Great, now we were both missing the speech.

**Did you see the trousers? Tight in all the right places.**

**Mmmm. He can Lead me anywhere without Opposition.**

She let out a laugh, and all of a sudden the speech halted. We both looked up to see the Leader of the Opposition look slightly alarmed. Alice managed to turn her laugh into a cough, covering her mouth, and I could have sworn Edward Masen rolled his eyes at us before continuing to speak.

"I want to be part of the global game…" he continued.

**Nice save, A.**

**Thx.**

I knew if he looked down at us again he would see two matching crimson faces. We were such naughty girls at his campaign events. We couldn't seem to help ourselves. Today we were naughty girls with no story.

**Wish I could just crawl away & curl up somewhere.**

**Up a trouser leg, abt 6ft away? Tight fit, but worth it!**

Now it was my turn to splutter. I didn't dare look up, but it sounded like he hadn't heard me. The speech continued as I replied to Alice.

**Now that would be ****some**** exclusive!**

Alice and I were old enough to know better than to act like giggling schoolgirls. Especially while we were working. She was 34, I was 39 – a year older than Edward – and we had seen our fair share of bubble-headed reporters going giggly at press conferences. I had interviewed actors, pop stars, sporting heroes and public figures of all kinds in my 20-year career at the Chronicle, but none had me feeling so flustered as Edward Masen. Well, maybe the odd rugby player. Some of them scrub up really well, and they have the firmest thighs on the planet…

Edward Masen turned my thighs to mush. He was heartbreakingly beautiful. Tall, with a chiseled jaw and unruly bronze hair which always made him look freshly fucked, he made women swoon wherever he went. When he had first been elected to Parliament six years ago, Alice and I had nicknamed him "The Pantydropper". After the enforced retirement due to a sex scandal of party leader Mike Newton, Edward had enjoyed a meteoric career and it was likely that in a couple of weeks he would become "Prime Minister Pantydropper".

He certainly had the female vote all sewn up; anyone with two X chromosomes was in his thrall, whether 18 or 80. He had a huge gay following, and straight men admired him too – mainly for his ability to appear on television and make their wives instantly horny.

Not only was he incredible to look at, but he genuinely cared for people. He had a shy quality which made him a good listener and a thoughtful observer. Unlike many politicians, he didn't seem to be in it for the power and trappings of office. His policies reflected his concern for the poor and elderly, and his plans for the economy, health and education were innovative and brilliant. For the first time in maybe 20 years I truly wanted to vote. I wanted to show Edward I believed in him, even if he never knew.

If the pundits were correct, he would be New Zealand's youngest ever prime minister. And the first single one, if not ever then for a very long time. It was very unusual for a politician not to have a partner. Many I knew had more than one – a wife back in their electorate and a girlfriend in Wellington. Edward Masen appeared to have neither. Rumour had it he was gay; a lot of people felt there could be no other explanation for his bachelorhood. This wasn't as scandalous as it once would have been. There were many gay MPs and several had had civil unions to marry their partners. I knew for a fact he wasn't gay, but it was a mystery if anyone was waiting at home for him every night. Edward was very good at keeping secrets.

God knows, Alice and I had tried to dig the dirt. She had been a parliamentary press gallery reporter for seven years, and I had been back there for the last few months after a stint as Australian correspondent. She knew all the gossip going, but Masen was squeaky clean. He didn't even have an old girlfriend willing to spill. It frustrated us to hell. A man that good looking should be fucked on a regular basis, otherwise it was just a waste.

Alice was back taking notes, but I couldn't help gazing up at his face. That face, and those intelligent green eyes, graced billboards on every roadside verge and blank wall in the country. Well, they had briefly. Most of his billboards had been stolen by teenage girls – and their mothers – for bedroom walls. I didn't blame them. The picture he had chosen for the advertising campaign was panty-soaking. I would have stolen one too, if I had the chance. A five-metre-long one was even stolen from a rooftop in Auckland – no mean feat. A five-metre Edward would be quite a sight, I thought, but I was lucky enough to be just feet away from the real thing. That thought made my heart skip a beat and my loins ache.

I suddenly realised I was performing fellatio on my ballpoint pen. My tongue had been circling the tip in a provocative manner and I wondered if anyone had noticed.

They had.

"You might want to at least buy your pen dinner first," read a note dropped in front of me from my left. Jessica Stanley, TV tramp, had caught me fantasizing. Shit. Of all people! She had been the reason Mike Newton had had to resign. She later claimed she had only screwed him to provide a chapter for her memoirs. All Alice and I could say was "ewwww".

The crowd rose to its feet. Edward had finished. He gave an awkward little wave and a shy smile, slightly embarrassed by all the attention even though it was nothing new to him and he was campaigning to make it so much worse.

"Do you have enough for a story?" I hissed in Alice's ear.

"Rose will give us the speech notes. We can cobble something together."

Edward walked off the stage and down some steps next to our press bench. As he passed, he gave me a lopsided grin.

"Nice pen," he smirked. _Shit_. He had seen my little tongue performance. My cheeks burned again.

Alice's mouth gaped open. "Grab your coat. I think you're in there!" She elbowed me in the ribs, so I shoved her away.

"He's gay. And you're imagining things," I said as we started packing up our things, but neither of us believed either statement. He had just flirted with me in front of an audience of 200 people, and the media. Wow.

I turned to watch him shake hands with his audience as he walked down the aisle, and for a brief second he turned back to look my way. Our eyes met and I saw something – desire? Hope? It was so intense I had to look away, and when I looked back he had gone in a sea of well-wishers.

This was wrong. I couldn't stop thinking about him, yet he was supposed to be "the enemy". I was meant to be objective and report on him impartially. He was making this very difficult.

By the time we got out of the hall, Edward was about to climb in his Crown limo. The man even made getting in and out of a car look sexy. I clambered onto the press bus, very unsexily, and watched out the window as the limo pulled away.

Back at our shared hotel room, Alice typed up her notes while I checked out the Masen tour's itinerary for tomorrow. We liked to work with some music on, so Alice cranked up her iPod. It also annoyed the TV reporters – i.e. Jessica – trying to record their stories in the next room. Her song choice: "Paparazzi" by Lady GaGa.

"I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, Papa- paparazzi…" she sang along. I rolled my eyes at her, but couldn't help wiggling my hips to the beat.

"You know, Masen can probably hear you. He's staying here tonight, too." My own words gave me a little thrill to know he was somewhere in the building. It was rare for the press pack to have the same accommodation – ours was usually much less classy – but here in Blenheim we had struck it lucky.

"In that case, you should go knock on his door. If he's been celibate all these years he must have the worst case of blue balls in history. You'll need this." She threw her pen at me.

We fell into fits of laughter, but it preyed on my mind long after our giggling had stopped. I had first met him six years ago, and he had been in the public eye ever since then. Alice assured me that for that entire time he had never been seen with anyone. Why the hell not? I felt it was my mission, as a journalist and a woman, to find out what he had been waiting for ever since I had stupidly told him no.

***


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I have been overwhelmed at the response to my story! Thank you so much for reading, reviewing and adding me to your alerts. It makes me squee! Especially big thanks to debb24601, WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) and FluffyLiz for your enthusiasm and help. Without you, this wouldn't be half as much fun! **

**I've added some links on my profile page to pictures or music from each chapter. This will be added to as we go along. Take a peek – Pantydropper really is dreamy ;-)**

**Twilight character names belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just letting them play in New Zealand. As hunterhunting would say, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter Two:**

EPOV

Another town, another hall, another speech over and done with. It was nice to be able to relax finally after another long day on the road. All I ever saw of these places was the airport, a hall, and maybe a hotel. In the bigger towns there were local media interviews and maybe a fleeting meet-and-greet at a mall or workplace, but mostly I was just in and out in a blur. Tonight we didn't have to rush back to Wellington, so I had been left in peace to kick off my shoes and order a room service cheeseburger and beer.

The solitude of this hotel room was a welcome relief. A sea of unfamiliar faces always surrounded me, reaching out their hands and trying to touch me. Worst of all were the women who would scream incoherently at the top of their lungs like I was some pop star. I hated that sound, but it never seemed to go away.

There were a few constants in my life: Rosalie, my pitbull of a press secretary; Emmett, my Diplomatic Protection Squad policeman, in case I needed some muscle; a Crown driver, usually Tyler; and the press pack, comprising half a dozen or so regular parliamentary press gallery journalists plus the local reporters from each town we visited.

I was a skilled enough actor to get through my public appearances most days, but lately something was preying on my mind. I felt uneasy, not about becoming prime minister in a few days – no, I was prepared well enough for that. My unease was at the dissatisfied feelings my achievements now brought me. I wanted more. I wanted HER, and for a minute today I thought maybe she wanted me too.

I couldn't believe it when she started to do that thing with her tongue and the pen. It took all my strength to keep it together and continue speaking. My dick thought it was Christmas, and frankly, my trousers were tight enough as it was. Damn designer suits weren't built for a man of my… proportions.

I knew she and Alice Brandon had been talking about me. They often giggled with their heads together, and their blushes when I caught them gave away that it was about me. Bella was so beautiful when she blushed. As soon as her blood rose in her cheeks, mine raced to my cock, like it was doing now just thinking about her.

Seeing her every day during the campaign, in such close proximity and yet not being able to touch her or speak to her alone was torture. She was like a drug to me, something strong and heady and life-altering in a pretty bottle on a shelf so high I couldn't reach it. I had had a taste once, a lifetime ago, but it was so tantalising I would give anything for another fix.

My years in Parliament had made it clear to me that politicians and journalists had to remain aloof, the public figures versus the people's watchdogs. I had endeavoured to conduct myself impeccably, not wanting anything to taint how she saw me. My work record was clean, and unlike my predecessor I had no scandals in my personal life. Hell, I didn't even have a personal life. Every night I pined for something I didn't have, and every night I jerked off at least twice before going to bed because I couldn't get her angelic face out of my head. Anybody would have thought I was a teenager, not the man about to be put in charge of a country.

My desire for her had turned me into a creepy stalker, and that was not a good look for the PM-to-be. God, if only my constituents knew that I was a pervert who watched her all the time. I noticed all her little mannerisms: the way she organised her things on the press bench, the way she ruled up her shorthand notebook in two uneven columns. I knew she used pens she took from hotel rooms, and sometimes her bag clanked with bottles from the mini bar.

She and Alice were very close, and I guess I was jealous of that relationship, but it had been strong long before I had met either of them and no man was going to get in the way of it. Bella had been treated badly by men, I knew that too, and it made me angry beyond reason. How could anyone hurt such an angel, with that glorious long brown hair and chocolate-coloured eyes I could drown in?

I realised I was pacing, so I stopped and ran a hand through my hair. Oddly, I could hear "Paparazzi" blaring from the room next door. It reminded me of her, of course. It was killing me to know she was in one of these hotel rooms, and that later tonight under the cover of darkness, if I felt reckless enough, I could climb in her window and watch her sleep. If only I knew which room was hers.

If I wasn't being watched constantly I might have plucked up the courage to go knock on her door. I could picture the look of surprise on her face when she opened the door and saw me. Would she still be wearing that deep blue V-necked top she had on today? From the stage I could look right down it when she hunched over her notes, and I could see her magnificent breasts. Sometimes, when it was cold, it took all my effort not to reach out and warm those erect nipples with my big hands. Roll and pinch and pull and suck and make her groan and sigh my name…

_Oh, fuck_, I was already so close I almost came in my Dolce and Gabbanas. I made sure the door was locked before I unzipped and dropped them in a pile in the middle of the room. I eased myself from my boxer briefs and lay down on the bed. I could tell it would not take much; I was so tight already. I wrapped my hand around my shaft and imagined it was her palm, smaller and softer but touching me in all the right places. She would know just what to do, maybe bring her lips down to lick the pre-cum from my tip. Her mouth would be so warm and she would lick up my length and take me so far inside her I would fear she would choke. Her light suction would milk- _oh! Fuck!_

Prime Ministerial note to self: Develop much greater stamina in case my fantasy ever becomes a reality.

I grabbed some tissues and cleaned up my stomach. My balls still ached, but some of the tension was gone. I suspected I would never fully relax until I could hold her in my arms as I once had. She probably didn't even remember, but right now that memory was all that was sustaining my existence.

~~***~~

A new week, and yet another town. As we pulled up in front of the Masterton Town Hall, Rose ended her phone call and pulled me out of my Bella-filled reverie by updating me with the day's news. The stockmarket was down, the dollar was up, there had been some kind of natural disaster in the Pacific but too far away for us to expect a tsunami. Nothing too much to add to my worries. She shuffled my speech notes and reminded me of the name of the local party chairman who would be doing the introductions while we waited in the car for Emmett to get out and check security with the local police.

"How do I look?" I asked, for something to say.

"Perfect. Devastatingly handsome, Prime Minister Pantydropper."

I rolled my eyes at her use of my new nickname. She had recently got it out of Alice, who said it came about from my habit of allegedly "eye-fucking" the camera every time my picture was taken. I knew I had to get some new facial expressions if women were mistaking my boredom for lust.

"You seem a little distracted, though?" Rose quirked a perfectly manicured eyebrow at me while she straightened my tie.

"Something's off. I'm not sure what's wrong, but I'm fine to give my speech, don't worry."

I gave her a quick smile, but I could tell she didn't really buy it.

I had lied to her, because I knew exactly what was wrong: SHE wasn't here, my most important constant throughout this campaign. I hadn't seen her for four days, but I couldn't ask anyone where she was without arousing suspicion. Maybe she was sick, but somehow I didn't think so. Maybe she was on another story. I had a very bad feeling, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it.

Emmett knocked on the window to signal we could get out of the car, and as soon as the door opened the screaming began. It looked like the whole town had turned out to see me, and 80 per cent of them were female. Some were shouting marriage proposals or their phone numbers, while some were just squealing at such a high pitch it sounded like the gates of Hell opening. Middle-aged women should not be making noises like that. I wished I could wear earplugs, but I couldn't afford to shut myself off.

A man approached, grinning with his hand outstretched. "Mr Masen, so glad to see you again. Welcome to Masterton."

Ah, this must be Embry Call. _Thank you, Rose_. I leaned in close to his ear, but still had to shout. "Mr Call, it's wonderful to be here. Looks like quite a crowd."

He could only nod as the noise engulfed us. Following Emmett as he cleared a path, we waded our way into the hall and found it was also standing-room-only inside.

"By the way, what happened to all my campaign billboards? I noticed they had all come down as we drove in."

"Um, well…" He looked uncomfortable. "Ladies take them down…"

I guffawed. Behind me, Rose muffled a giggle. She had told me about this disturbing trend about the same time she let slip my new nickname. I was apparently as popular for thieves as the Elle MacPherson lingerie ads had been a few years ago, and she told me I should be flattered. There was only one person I wanted lusting after me, though.

"We'll replace them as soon as possible, of course."

"Hey, don't worry about it. There are only a couple more days until the election. People know what I look like by now. Most of the time I think I look like an alien, and I have one leg shorter than the other, so why people want to steal my picture I have no idea."

"Yeah, right," Rose deadpanned as she handed me my notes. I didn't need them, I knew the speech by heart.

Or so I thought. The words all went out the window when I glanced at the audience while Mr Call announced me as "the next prime minister of New Zealand". Walking up to the rostrum I saw a petite brown-haired woman in the front row with the other media. It was Alice Brandon, and she was crying.

Alice was the perkiest person I had ever met. She never cried.

My heart leapt to my throat and both my hands fisted my hair in anguish. She worked with her – had something happened to my Bella?

"Mr Masen?" Embry Call asked, concerned that I hadn't begun speaking.

"Yes, ah, thank you very much." I rushed through the speech and my unsuspecting audience clapped heartily, but Alice kept her head down. She didn't take any notes.

As I passed Rose in the wings on my way offstage she knew immediately that something was wrong. My hands were still raking through my hair and by now it must have been standing straight up on end.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked, touching my arm in a gesture of comfort and concern.

"I need to speak to Alice Brandon, urgently."

To hell with the election. I would give it all up to know Bella was safe, and when I saw her again I would finally tell her what I had been waiting six years to say.

***


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews for the last chapter. You are too kind and make me blush. More reviews would, of course, be lovely. Big waves to the fellow Kiwis reading my story *waves!* and kisses as always to debb24601, WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) and FluffyLiz for talking me down off the ledge a few times. **

**I've added some more links on my profile page to pictures or music from this chapter – please take a wee look. **

**FYI: The islands of Ahitipua and Ureroa are fictional (ahi tipua is the Maori word for volcano; ure = penis, roa = tall or long). I was going to use Urenui = big penis, but that is an actual town in New Zealand and I would hate for there to be confusion. I may make Edward go there later just for laughs/size comparisons.**

**Paul Hester was the hard-case drummer in Kiwi/Aussie band Crowded House. He wrote "Italian Plastic" and committed suicide in 2005.**

**As a shout-out to the lovely JAG from RAoR, the part of Eric Yorkie is played in my fic by Eric Bana.**

**Twilight character names belong to Stephanie Meyer. I'm just letting them play in the South Pacific. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. Here endeth the long-ass A/N. Amen.**

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**The Exclusive**

**Chapter Three:**

BPOV

The cockroaches on my bed were bigger than my big toe. No sleep for me again tonight.

Bloody Jasper! Why did he have to pull me off the election campaign to send me to this hell hole? Of course, he had no idea this would happen. But, still… I was missing the election. In two more days Edward should be prime minister, barring some monumental cock-up.

"Edward," I sighed, looking out the window.

"What's that?" Eric asked from over by the mini bar.

"Nothing. Just ruing the day I ever met Jasper Whitlock. I'm pretty sure he wants to kill me."

Eric laughed. "Oh, yeah, I'm definitely going to have a piece of that chilled-out bastard when I get home."

When I'd gone into the office on Monday to check in, Jasper had been waiting for me.

"Now, calm down. Before you go saying anything, I know you want to cover election night, and you'll be home by then, I promise."

"Yeah, right. Where are you sending me now?"

"Ahitipua."

I groaned.

"You're the only one who's been there in recent years and you know some of the people. Rumour has it the volcano's going to blow sometime soon. If we can get there today we'll get an exclusive. So how quickly can you pack a bag?"

"I'm not a science reporter."

"But you have been a Pacific Island reporter and you've been there before. You'll be fine. Besides, we don't need two of you on Edward Masen… Bella? Are you listening to me?"

"Um, sorry, Jazz. Blacked out a bit when you said 'two of us on Edward Masen'."

He rolled his eyes at me and I grinned cheekily.

"Alice can handle him on her own." He shot me a look that warned me not to comment. "I need you to do this for me, and when you get back we'll talk about that political editor's job."

I barely had time to respond before he shoved plane tickets in my hand and told me I had an hour to get to the airport. And, as an afterthought, he told me Eric Yorkie was accompanying me.

"Aw, Jazz, you know he'll complain the whole time. He hates the heat, and the Ahitipuans hate Aussies. It'll all end in disaster."

"He's a good photographer, and he's available. So stop complaining and get out of here."

How I would enjoy telling him: "I told you so". If I ever saw him again.

After a barely tolerable two-hour flight, the time difference had us arrive at Ahitipua about the same time as we had left Wellington. While Eric hired us a jeep at the airport, I tried my satellite phone with no success.

"Typical," I spat. There was no cellphone coverage here either.

"Excuse me, it's Bella, isn't it?" a woman rushing into the terminal building asked me as I was still bent over my luggage.

"Yes. Heidi, right? Hi."

The New Zealand high commissioner's wife smiled grimly. "You should get out while the planes are still flying. Marcus has told me and our daughter to go home on the next flight." The pubescent girl next to her looked scared.

"We were just on our way to see Marcus. Is he at the high commission?"

She nodded again. "He's the only one left. He's ordered all his staff to get out, too."

Heidi gripped my arm. "I'm serious. Turn around and get back on the plane with us."

I looked at Eric, who had joined us from the rental car kiosk. His interest was piqued.

"We're on assignment so we've got to stay, for a couple of days at least. But we'll be home before the end of the week," I told her.

"Be it on your own heads. Let's hope the planes will still be flying then. Please, be safe." With that, she let go of my arm and dragged her daughter to a check-in counter. It was then I noticed the predominance of ex-pats waiting in the terminal building.

"Man, this is a mass exodus. Jazz must be on to something," I muttered.

God, how I wish I had listened to Heidi.

Driving to our hotel, the only signs of life were stray dogs and mosquitoes. What little traffic we saw was all heading to the airport. Eric and I exchanged slightly worried glances as he drove and I noticed smoke billowing from an island on the horizon. Just 23km of water separated the two islands, but they couldn't have been more different. While Ahitipua was lush and green, with palm trees and taro plantations everywhere, Ureroa looked more like a moonscape, barren and charcoal grey from volcanic ash. I fully expected to see the Eye of Sauron glowing above its vertiginous peak, and it made me shudder.

We drove the bumpy dirt road in silence until we reached our hotel. We appeared to be the only guests and were given a third floor room. After a quick freshen up, we checked in at the New Zealand High Commission compound. It was outwardly deserted, but we found Marcus Volturri at his desk, just ending a phone call. He looked very surprised to see us.

"Bella? What are you doing here? Didn't Foreign Affairs tell you to stay away? I issued a warning-"

"What? No. We've come to report on the volcano. You mean Wellington knows there's danger here and is still letting people come?"

He sat down dejectedly and began to tell us what had been happening. Ahitipua had been experiencing a series of earthquakes caused by the rumblings of the nearby Ureroa volcano. There had been over two dozen tremors in the last four days, and Sam Uley at the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences seismological station had warned islanders to expect an eruption at any time. The ex-pat community had decided it was too dangerous and was evacuating. The airlines were on alert and Marcus had issued a warning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Wellington yesterday, naturally assuming they would act on it.

I was shocked that officials in Wellington had ignored his warning but was secretly glad that the exclusive story would be ours. If a travel advisory had been issued after we left, no one would be following us up here any time soon.

We thanked Marcus and headed into the hills to see Sam at the IGNS station. I interviewed him about the activity, and Eric took some amazing shots of the steaming mountain from the high vantage point.

Back at the hotel I tried my sat-phone, again with no success, so I used the room's landline to ring Jasper and file a brief story. Jazz was thrilled to hear we would have no rivals for the story, but sounded worried when I told him about all the ex-pats fleeing. I told him my phones weren't working but promised I would try to keep in touch.

The next day we spent more time with Sam at the station, then interviewed the local chief, Laurent Ariki, and some of the locals who were staying. Ahitipua had a population of about 1400, but with the ex-pats gone that had more than halved. We learnt the islanders had a well-rehearsed emergency plan should Sam sound the siren indicating a pending eruption.

On the third day, Eric and I had exhausted most of our story ideas, and resorted to taking scenic photos. We checked in again with Sam, but decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the hotel bar. I was on my third strawberry daiquiri and thinking of Edward again when it happened.

The ground began to shake, and sirens sounded all around us. For a moment I thought I was pissed and hallucinating, but when hotel staff started running past I knew this was what we had waited for.

As Eric went for the Jeep, I quickly called Jazz from the bar phone and shouted, "It's erupting – gotta go," before hanging up in his ear.

Eric was really too drunk to drive but I was worse, so the task fell to him. We sped up the hill to the assembly point outside Sam's station and it was already filled with people. I saw Marcus, Laurent and several of the villagers we had interviewed, and was relieved they were safe.

From our spot we had a perfect view as fire and ash rained from the tip of Ureroa. Eric snapped away as an enormous lava flow poured out and down the western side of the mountain. Wave after wave poured out, oozing down the mountain and seeping across the short stretch of water between Ureroa and Ahitipua. People around me gasped as the lahar kept coming towards Ahitipua, engulfing an industrial neighbourhood, the main port - and the airport.

Sam emerged from his station and issued face masks for the ash cloud engulfing us. I felt the acid rain tingling on my bare arms, like the sensation of eating Pop Rocks. Over the next two hours we watched the lahar slow and solidify. When Sam deemed it safe, we headed back down the hill to assess the damage. No one had been killed or injured thanks to the evacuation plan, but the lahar had taken out the telephone exchange, a power station and, of course, our only means off the island.

Sam had told me the ash cloud would cause a no-fly zone to be imposed in the area anyway by Civil Aviation officials, but the destruction of the airport meant it would be a very long time before regular air services would resume.

We were stranded.

***

So here we were, on Thursday night, emptying the mini bar and completely incommunicado.

"Masen is speaking in Masterton tonight," I said. "I never thought I would want to be in Masterton so much as I do now."

Eric chuckled, and we were silent for a few minutes.

"Thinking about your family?" he finally asked.

"Nah, not really. The kids are fine. Renee's got exams so she's staying with my sister, and Charlie's at police college. They're both grown up, and they're used to me disappearing on assignment. I know they'll be worried about me, but we'll be out of this place before you know it."

"You reckon?"

"Of course. I'm just annoyed that I'm missing the election."

"Isn't it a foregone conclusion that Masen will win?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I was just looking forward to voting this time."

"I thought you ethical journalist types stayed apolitical and didn't vote?"

"I haven't in years, you're right. But this time it felt important. Like I was making a choice that would change lives." _Mine, I hoped. Forever._

"Well, we could see Marcus about casting special votes. It's not too late."

"Eric Yorkie, you are a genius!" I gave him a quick peck on the cheek, much to his surprise, and grabbed my bag and the car keys. "Come on, let's go!"

***

By Saturday night there was still no sign of rescue. We had eaten most of the food and emptied all the mini bars in the hotel. Eric had also drained a lot of the larger bottles from the lobby bar. We were drunk, and getting on each other's nerves.

"Look, if you don't stop playing that bloody depressing music I'm gonna offer to fucking shag you myself just to shut you up!"

"What?" I slurred.

"What do you mean 'what?' For the last few days we've been stuck here, you've played gooey love songs over and over again. First it was 'With or Without You', then 'Open Arms', then 'Alone' and 'I Need You Tonight'. I feel like I'm in some god-awful '80s nightmare. So, who's the bastard who dumped you?"

"None of your business. And I've had my headphones on, so how do you know?"

"You've been singing along. Very loudly, and very flat. Honestly, you're dreaming if you think I'll listen to any more."

"Don't worry. My battery's almost dead. I've only got enough juice for one or two more songs." And I knew just which one to end with. I scrolled down my albums until I found "Woodface", and selected "Italian Plastic".

I held out an earbud to Eric. "Here, do you want to listen in this time? You can sing along, too, if you want."

He smiled and took the bud. When the song started, he looked surprised. "This isn't too soppy. Great band, too. Hey, let's empty the last of the Stoli and drink to Paul Hester."

"Deal. Quick, though, my battery's just about dead."

Eric got the bottle and we toasted the late drummer. Then we started to sing:

"_When you wake up with me_

_I'll be your glass of water, aha_

_When you stick up for me_

_Then you're my Bella Bambina aha._"

I loved this album long before I ever heard it with Edward, but that song always reminded me of the night we met. That one almost-perfect night before it all went so very wrong.

***


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone reviewing and adding me to their alerts. You guys rock! As always, my thanks and love to debb24601, WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) and FluffyLiz for pimping me out and making me laugh. **

**Check out my profile page for some new pictures for this chapter – E's apartment is stunning. **

**I included a teaser for this chapter in The Fictionators' Teaser Monday compilation [www(dot)fictionators(dot)com] and if I can remember with the time difference I'll probably post another one next week. More readers and reviewers would be sweet! **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them play prime ministers. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 4**

BPOV _- Six years earlier_

Alice and I were bored rigid. We had spent the day at a party conference at the Intercontinental Hotel in the city, and had resorted to giving all the participants nicknames to pass the time. Most of them were now called "Doofus".

I had drunk too much coffee and by the time cocktails were served at 5pm I was desperate to get away. I took a glass of wine and a canapé offered by a waiter and scanned the room for a means of escape. Unfortunately, the most boring woman in the room came up to me, and proceeded to tell me in great detail about her plans for zero tolerance on crime. Eventually, it all became too much.

"I'm sorry, I don't feel so well. Can you tell me where the ladies' room is?" She pointed me in the right direction and watched as I found the correct door.

Under the harsh lights I gazed at my face in the mirror and plotted an escape. If I went out the door and turned left I could sneak down the spiral staircase to the lobby. I texted Alice to say I was unwell and going home. This was her first conference and I was meant to be showing her the ropes, but I was sure she'd be able to handle the rest of the night alone. She would be covering tomorrow's sessions on her own anyway, and I really couldn't teach her anything else. She'd be fine.

No one noticed as I swiftly exited the bathroom and made my way downstairs. I was heading for valet parking when I heard the most beautiful piano music. Upstairs I had thought it was piped "elevator music", but now I was closer I realised it was a man playing a baby grand piano in the hotel lobby bar, and the sound had carried up the stairs.

He was good, really good. What a pity he had such a meagre audience. With him in the bar were five other people: the barman; two businessmen sitting separately at the bar, nursing their drinks; and a couple seated at one of the small tables by the window. They appeared to be work colleagues as there were what looked like reports and budgets spread out on the table. No one was listening to the music.

I hesitated, then put my valet stub back in my purse and walked up to the bar. I ordered a gin and tonic and chose a table near the piano, under the curve of the stairs so my colleagues on the mezzanine could not see me if they looked down.

I didn't recognise much of what the young man played, but it was incredibly moving. His long, slender fingers moved rapidly over the keys, and I let my mind wander as I gazed out at the sunset.

I was jolted from my reverie by the sound of conference-goers coming down the stairs. I was meant to be going to a buffet with them at the hotel restaurant before the last session of the day, and I feared that someone would see me and drag me along with them.

The panic in my eyes was obvious to the pianist, who suddenly spoke.

"Quick, come and sit next to me. They won't be able to see you through the piano lid."

I shot a glance towards the stairs, then scuttled quickly to the man's side. Like a herd of elephants, my dinner companions thundered out of the lobby into the restaurant opposite the bar.

"Thanks. That was close," I said.

"My pleasure. Anything for an angel in distress." He spoke softly in a voice which was so deep and soothing he made me completely forget the stress of the day. "I'm Ed," he smiled.

"I'm Bella. Pleased to meet you." I started to rise to return to my table, but his left hand shot out to encircle my wrist. I gasped at the audacity of his touch. His right hand continued the melody.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Please, sit with me for a while. You seem to be the only one listening tonight." He let go and resumed double-handed playing.

"Um, OK." I sat back down. "You play beautifully. What's that piece? I don't recognise it."

"It's my own composition. Suddenly I feel inspired." He stared at me for a beat too long, and I blushed.

As I watched him play, I was mesmerized by his incredibly long, agile fingers. His thumb alone was the size of my middle finger, if not longer. I let out a tiny gasp at the realization I was actually salivating. In more than one place.

"Are you alright?" he asked softly as he continued to play.

"Um, mmmm." I gulped, and squeezed my thighs together tighter. He kept his gaze on my face as the unfamiliar melody gained pace. Had he been watching me the whole time I had been staring at his fingers?

Suddenly I felt like a gas ring had been lit in the pit of my stomach. The flame shot up to my throat from my now-throbbing core. I gulped again. I had not been with a man for a long time. My sexual peak was going to waste, and I was now old enough to realise that there was no point prevaricating. If I wanted something I was going to have to go for it. _Sauce for the goose._

He'd seemed young at first glance, but now I was seated next to him I saw he was perhaps closer to my age. He was gorgeous. He had on a pale blue shirt, of which he had undone the top few buttons, and grey tweed trousers. His shoes were very good quality and he smelled manly, like musk and cigarettes. His eyes were a bright green and his copper-coloured hair sat up like he had been running his fingers through it all day. Either that, or he had been having wild sex.

That thought tugged in my stomach, and I took a big gulp of my drink. I was feeling rather flushed, so I took off my suit jacket and half-stood to drape it over a chair. I saw from the corner of my eye Ed checking out my rear, then my cleavage as my silk blouse gaped when I leaned forward. I was quite proud of my girls, so I arched my back a little and smiled as I watched him stare. Men were too easy sometimes.

Several drinks later we were alone with the barman. We had been sitting next to each other for hours but had barely spoken. We didn't need to. We said what needed to be said with our eyes and our smiles. It had been a long time since a man had looked at me that way. Not this century, anyway.

I looked at my watch and saw it was close to 10pm. I had drunk quite a bit and needed a female moment, but was reluctant to leave Ed's side in case he vanished like an apparition, because he was clearly not of this earth.

"Excuse me a minute?" I started to rise.

"Have you had any dinner tonight?" he asked, touching my hand as I moved past him.

"No, just a nibble at five o'clock. What about you?"

"No, I missed out. Maybe we could grab something together?" He looked genuinely hopeful, not like a guy using a cheesy pick-up line.

"Um, OK. What time do you finish?"

"Oh, no, I don't- I mean, there's no one here listening… We could go now, if you like?"

"Are you sure?" He nodded. There really wasn't anyone around. I had no idea where the conference delegates had gone, but no one was milling around the lobby. "I don't want the hotel to fire you for stopping early."

He grinned widely. "They won't."

When I walked back from the powder room I saw him hand the bartender some money. Strange, I thought the pianist would get his refreshments for free. I brushed the thought away as he greeted me with another lopsided smile.

"Um, this may seem odd, but I can't be seen leaving the hotel with you."

"Okaaay," I said slowly, fearing dinner was off. "I guess hotel management frowns on fraternisation."

"Something like that. If you go out first, I'll meet you across the road in a minute." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it in reassurance, then helped me on with my jacket. All the while, he was scanning the lobby.

"Don't be long," I whispered as I walked away. The barman wished me a good night, and I thanked him. I hoped it would be a night to remember.

After only a minute, Ed joined me beneath the SkyBlues neon sculpture across the road from the hotel.

"Where are we going?"

"I have a friend with a restaurant on the waterfront. He lets me eat there after hours if I'm working late."

We walked arm in arm across Jervois Quay to the restaurant quarter, and knocked on what appeared to be a kitchen door. A middle-aged man answered and greeted Ed with a huge bear-hug. He was introduced to me as Caius.

"Kitchen?" He looked me up and down. "Or upstairs?"

"Is there anyone up there?" Ed asked. Caius told us business had been quiet so the upstairs dining room wasn't in use. Ed told him we would have a couple of cheeseburgers, and led me upstairs to a sea-themed wooden mezzanine with 270-degree views of the harbour.

"Wow! It's like we're floating over the water," I exclaimed, realizing as soon as I'd spoken that I sounded girlish and tipsy.

Ed smiled. "I like it here. It's nice and private. The diners downstairs can't see us up here."

A short while later our food arrived, and as we ate, we talked about ourselves. I told him I was a journalist, originally from Wellington but currently based in Auckland. I explained that I was down in the capital for a few weeks for a refresher in political reporting before being sent to the Sydney office for four years. I didn't tell him about Ben. Or Charlie and Renee. I didn't want to think about them when I was with him.

He told me he'd done his OE in London, where he'd worked in a bank, and had come home a few years ago to work at his father's furniture factory. He didn't mention the hotel piano playing gig – I guessed that part was obvious.

Caius had the "Woodface" album by Crowded House playing in the background as we dined. The songs were so sexy and I could tell the musician in Ed was listening carefully to the lyrics of "It's Only Natural" and "Fall At Your Feet". When "Whispers and Moans" started, Ed took my hand across the table and asked me if I wanted to dance. I hadn't danced in years but I imagined his arms encircling me and I felt lightheaded.

"I'm a bit tipsy," I admitted.

"I'll catch you if you fall."

_Oh, baby, I think I've already fallen. _

On the small dance floor I listened to the lyric. _Mmm, sexy song_. Ed began to sing softly into my hair. "I'd like to hear your whispers and moans.."

_Oh fuck. Please._

We were still on our feet, swaying gently but not necessarily in time with the music, when the song changed to "Italian Plastic". Ed began to sing again, his lips just brushing my ear.

"_When you wake up with me_

_I'll be your glass of water, aha_

_When you stick up for me_

_Then you're my Bella Bambina, aha_."

My breath quickened and I looked up into his brilliant green eyes. His warm breath in my ear had rekindled that fire inside me. His large hand covered the small of my back and up to my shoulder blades, and with the gentlest pressure he pulled our bodies closer. We moulded together perfectly, despite the height difference of nearly a foot. He nuzzled my hair again and I heard him inhale deeply.

My hands roamed his muscular back, and without thinking I kissed his shirt right above his heart.

We stopped swaying then, and he placed a finger under my chin to tilt my face to him.

"Bella Bambina," he smiled, and slowly leaned down to take my bottom lip in his. The kiss was soft and almost chaste, so I dared to run my tongue along his lip. The kiss deepened, and both our tongues began exploring further. He tasted as good as he looked. Panting, I broke away first and began planting a row of tiny wet kisses along his jaw line to his ear. I licked firmly behind his earlobe before sucking it into my mouth, and he let out a groan that almost made me come from the mere sound of it.

"We can't, not here," he panted in between kisses along my neck. "Come home with me."

I pulled back, unsure. Was that what I wanted with him? I had no doubt he would be a skilled and attentive lover, and I certainly needed some seeing to. But could I leave it at a one night stand? Could he? I had to, but this felt like more already, and we had only kissed.

"Bella? I'm sorry." He looked confused and let go of our embrace. "I thought you wanted to."

"I've never done this before." Ed moved back from me a fraction, but I grabbed his shirt front and pulled him to my chest. "But I really want to. You fascinate me."

"I haven't done this before, either," he confessed softly.

"Pfft! Yeah, right!" I scoffed.

"No, honestly. This is so reckless for me." He ran a hand through his hair, then reached out to place a stray strand of mine behind my ear. I shivered as he caressed the shell. "But I feel like I've been waiting for you all my life."

He kissed me, and while I knew there were several good reasons why we shouldn't be doing this, none of them seemed to matter.

After paying and farewelling Caius, we walked hand in hand across the lamplit dock to the underground Queen's Wharf carpark. He led me to a reserved space where an immaculately restored 1961 MG convertible was parked.

"It was my dad's," he said wistfully, with a look in his moist eyes I recognised as that of the recently bereaved.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, squeezing his hand. He smiled in acknowledgement and kissed my knuckles.

He opened the passenger door and held it as I got in. I sighed. He was too good to be true.

We drove along Oriental Parade and down the ramp of an underground parking area beneath one of the newer apartment blocks. "We're here," he announced, taking my hand from where it had been resting on his thigh for the short journey. I waited while he got out and opened my door, and we entwined our fingers as we rode up in the elevator to the penthouse.

Inside, I gasped. The apartment was huge and tastefully decorated. There was a baby grand piano in the lounge, and an enormous window providing a breathtaking view over Oriental Bay to the city.

"You live here alone?" I asked, beginning to wonder what the pianist had failed to tell me.

"Uh-huh." He came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He began kissing the side of my neck.

"Um, oh, you have, ah, some, ungh, beautiful things," I panted.

"The most beautiful thing here is you."

I turned to look at him. "Am I just one of your things?"

"I would never treat you like an object. But I do want you to be mine."

He kissed me so ardently I stumbled back up against the side of the piano.

"Mmmm, I'd love to take you here. But not our first time." He ground his groin against my stomach and his firmness made me whimper.

Ed gave me a lopsided smile, and took me by the hand. He started to lead me to the bedroom, when we were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the "Sex and the City" theme song. My phone. _Fuck._

I gave him an apologetic look before answering it. "Hello?"

"Bella, where are you? Are you alright? It's after midnight!"

"Ange! Look, um, I'm sorry, sis. Something came up." I tried not to giggle as I looked at Ed's obvious erection.

"Will you be home soon? I'm waiting up."

Suddenly all the air was let out of my tyres. "Yeah. Soon."

When I hung up, I looked at Ed, still hard and expectant.

"I'm sorry. We can't do this. I'm- we just shouldn't. You're lovely, and I really wish I could, but I can't. Not tonight."

Ed adjusted himself subtly, but clearly the anaconda didn't want to be tamed. I wanted to pet it and make it feel better, but that would just make the situation worse.

He offered to drive me home, and I accepted. We travelled to Angela's house in Aro Street in silence. As I got out of the car, Ed finally spoke.

"I'd like to see you again, Bella. I'm busy all day tomorrow – a work thing, well, more like a job interview – but maybe on Sunday we could have brunch? I want to get to know you properly."

He looked so forlorn. My body still ached for his touch, and if Ange hadn't rung I would have let him have me 10 different ways.

"I'd like that, too. I really am sorry. I did want to, but it wouldn't be right. Sunday brunch would be lovely." We exchanged phone numbers and I kissed him through the open driver's window before watching him drive away.

Wow. Had I really just given that up? I would have to get my head examined on Monday. If it wasn't blown away by the amazing sex I hoped we'd be having on Sunday.

The next morning I was on a high. I didn't have to work, so I slept in and then enjoyed a late breakfast with my sister. I was bursting to tell her about Ed, but wasn't quite sure what to tell her yet, or whether she would understand, so I kept quiet and told her I had been out with Alice. Maybe Ali and Esme would be my first sounding boards.

Mid-afternoon I received a text from Alice at the conference.

**OMFG!!! You shd c this 1!! Yum! Not doofus. I call dibs.**

I chuckled and replied: **Maybe u cd point him out Esme's 2nite?**

**Hope so!**

Esme was one of my oldest journalism buddies. She had been my boss when I first started at the gallery in the mid-1990s, and we had been firm friends ever had surprised everyone about five years ago when she announced she was quitting to marry Carlisle Cullen, the then deputy prime minister who was married with children at the time. He got divorced, and lost his standing in the party, but he and Esme were ridiculously happy. He was beginning to claw his way back up the ranks, but the weasly Mike Newton was a constant thorn in his side.

They were hosting a party tonight after the conference at their sumptuous Thorndon home. When I picked Alice up at her flat, after first retrieving my car from the Intercontinental, she was full of news of the gorgeous candidate who had everyone talking.

"Honestly, when he spoke I think he impregnated all the women there. Including the wrinklies!"

"Well, I met a man last night who could just about do that," I countered.

"When? Surely not at the conference?"

"No, afterwards."

"I thought you went home sick?"

"Well…" I pretended to look guilty, and she laughed.

"No worries. So, spill! Tell me all the gories."

"Later. We're here."

The party was in full swing. Esme greeted us and we collected drinks before mingling with our gallery friends. Esme and Carlisle were discerning and hadn't invited any of the TV trollops, thank goodness.

I joined Carlisle, who was telling a small group of reporter friends about "the new great hope for Wellington Central".

"He's the only person I've ever met who can win us back that seat. We haven't held it in over a decade. I think he'll appeal to everyone. He was a merchant banker in London and is now running Masen's, you know, the furniture company?"

"Haven't they just sold chairs to the White House?" I asked. Carlisle nodded. "Wow, I hear that guy is a pretty smart cookie. What a coup for you, Carlisle!"

"I should introduce you to him, Bella." Carlisle gestured to someone standing behind me. I turned, expecting to see another middle-aged car salesman-type, and found myself face to face with Ed. "Bella Swan, this is Edward Masen."

I gasped, but Ed – or rather, Edward – grinned at me like he had just won the lottery.

"Hi," he said, shaking my hand.

"Fuck. Now I'm going to have to hate you," I blurted. I was aiming for sarcasm but it came out rather more vehemently than I had intended.

All the blood drained from his face and he looked utterly confused. Carlisle looked embarrassed.

"Do you two know each other?" he asked.

"Almost. Clearly not well enough," I said, just as Esme walked over to join our group.

"Edward, I'd love it if you'd play for us."

He feigned modesty, but eventually sat at the piano. He thought for a second, then announced, "This is called 'Angel in Distress'," and began playing the piece he had played for me at the hotel. _The piece he had composed for me at the hotel._

Alice sidled up to me. "That's him! Mister Vagsplosion."

"Oh, he's a real pantydropper alright."

"Pantydropper – nice name! I think I'll use it."

She giggled, and Edward looked over at us. I blushed, but was still annoyed he hadn't told me who he was. _Hypocrite_, shouted the little voice in my head.

When he finished, he said, apologetically, "It's not finished yet; it's a work in progress", as the party-goers all applauded. Except me.

He cornered me a few minutes later and we walked out to the conservatory to talk.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a politician?" I bristled.

"I wasn't, until I got the nomination today."

"Semantics. We can't be seeing each other. You're a politician and I'm a journalist. We don't mix."

"It seems to work OK for Carlisle and Esme."

"They both destroyed their careers in the process."

Edward tried to take my hand but I wouldn't let him.

"Anyway, I'm only here a few weeks. I'm about to be posted to Sydney for four years, remember?"

"I know, you told me. And I figured if this doesn't work out, I could maybe join you? I want to be with you, Bella. I think we might have something if you give it a chance. We've only just met but I feel like you could be the one to change my life," he pleaded.

Fuck. I couldn't tell him I felt it too. I had to go for the jugular, quick and clean.

"I'm sorry. There's something else I didn't tell you. I have two kids," I said brusquely.

He looked shocked for an instant, then started to say, "That's OK, I like kids".

But I cut him off.

"I also have a husband. Ed, I'm _married_. I went home with you to get back at my cheating prick of a husband. This isn't the start of some great love affair. You're far better off without me. Without me you've got it all."

With that, I walked off. I didn't want him to see me crying.

***


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks again for all the love. I've had a rough week with a daughter with chickenpox so I missed Teaser Monday, but lucky reviewers got a teaser to make up for it. Isn't that an incentive to review?**

**I threw a few of you for a loop with my flashback chapter, so you should be happy this EPOV is back to the present day. There are more new links on my profile page to pictures or music from this chapter. Big smooches to debb24601, WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) and FluffyLiz for their feedback and concern that I had succumbed to a tsunami at the weekend. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them play in the corridors of power. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter Five:**

EPOV – _present day_

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" I stormed into James Clarke's office and slammed my hand on his desk.

His private secretary followed me in. "I'm sorry, sir. He just barged through me."

"It's OK, Victoria. Shut the door on your way out." He was quiet until she left. "What's your problem, Masen?"

"My problem is that you appear to be refusing to do anything about Ahitipua. Lives may be in danger, and by God if she's hurt in any way-"

"Hold on," he said, holding up a hand. "Who or what are we talking about now?"

"Um, no, no one," I stuttered, trying to regain my composure. "There are New Zealanders over there who should have been warned about the danger. Now I believe there's been no word from anyone since Wednesday afternoon. There's been an eruption, for fuck's sake, we don't even seem to be sending in any aid, and our people are stuck there." I ran both my hands through my hair in despair.

_She_ was stuck there. Alice, through the sobbing, had told us everything she knew last night. No one had heard from Bella and her photographer in two days, not since the eruption. I hadn't even known she was there – my schedule meant I hadn't been in Wellington to read her stories in the Chronicle, and Rose hadn't thought to tell me about them.

Geological and Nuclear Sciences had said there'd been a sizeable eruption, but neither New Zealand nor Australia was providing any assistance. Each thought the island fell into the other's jurisdiction. I wanted to send in the SAS, but Rose reminded me that: a) it would be overkill; and b) I wasn't PM yet so I couldn't order the SAS to do anything. All I could do was ask James nicely. He was still Minister of Foreign Affairs – until tomorrow night, anyway.

James, however, knew he was on his way out and had already started packing. It was clear he wasn't about to take on a new project so close to the "end of term".

"We'll send an aid package. Get a Hercules to drop it off in a flyover or something since they can't land," he shrugged.

I was seething, but couldn't let him see it. If he detected a weakness, I was sunk. I leaned over his desk, as menacingly as I could manage, and spat, "That's all there is? It's not enough," before storming out, leaving the door to slam behind me.

That night I had a live televised speech to the nation. Up on the podium, in front of potentially 4.5 million people, I took my chance.

"This current government has had its nine years in power and what do we have to show for it? Now, in its death throes, it has given up. Prime Minister Billy Black, and in particular James Clarke, are so focused on saving their majorities that they can't be bothered saving the poor people on Ahitipua."

I could hear Rose shuffling her notes in the wings, panicking that I had left the script and was winging it. Rose didn't like spontaneous very much, but if I didn't take this chance… well, it didn't bear thinking about.

"When I am elected prime minister, my first official task – before this weekend is out, if possible – will be to send military and humanitarian aid to our neighbours in Ahitipua. Gandhi said that whatever you do in life is insignificant, but it's very important that you do it. I feel it is important we help our friends in their time of need, instead of feathering our own nests."

While the crowd applauded, I looked down at the press bench to where Alice was beaming up at me. I smiled back briefly, hoping she didn't read too much into my pledge. I still needed to follow Esme's advice and keep professionally aloof until the time was right.

I took a deep breath and continued the speech as planned. Off to the side I heard Rose muttering to herself, and I allowed myself another little smile. I was beginning to think that I was terribly pussy-whipped.

***

On Saturday morning I went with my police escort to vote, as usual, at the church hall up the road from my apartment. It was effectively a day off for me, as there could be no campaigning on election day. Nevertheless, the media was there to take my picture, and a small group of screaming women had gathered outside. Emmett and his partner, Paul, held them at bay. It looked like I would be getting two DPS agents to look after me from now on.

When we returned to my apartment, where another small group of media and women had gathered, they stood on guard outside the door as I went inside. It was a rare thing to be alone for a day, and it made me anxious. I paced the floor in front of my big bay window and watched my constituents enjoying a sunny day at the waterfront.

My mind wandered again to Bella. What was she doing now? Was she OK? I really wanted her to be at my party tonight, but it looked like this would be the third time she would not be around to celebrate with me on election night.

"Without me you've got it all," she had said that awful night at Carlisle's. They were the last words I had heard from her lips for almost six years. I had tried to get over her by throwing myself into my work, but she was wrong. Without her I had nothing, was nothing. It was a cliché, but she completed me. I just had to find a way to convince her of that.

I was feeling so tense, but I didn't want to relax with the usual self-abuse. I'd already done that first thing this morning and it didn't seem right to do it again with police at the door and media watching my windows. I was beginning to wish I hadn't given up smoking. To kill some time I began to play the piano. I hadn't touched it for a long time after she left. I hadn't even allowed my cleaner to polish it in case she removed Bella's fingerprints from that night before all the madness. The vision of her up against the curve in my piano was almost too much, but I made myself remember.

I hadn't even let her touch me. I thought we would have all night, but then her phone rang and the house of cards began to collapse.

I could barely remember her kiss, but I could never forget the sting of her words. She left me reeling, and for a while I wondered if she had been lying to me about the husband and kids. It seemed so incongruous with the woman I had met the night before. I couldn't figure out why she had gone home with me, and agreed to another date, if she had a family at home waiting for her. I thought maybe it was some kind of elaborate joke on the new guy, except no one else seemed to be in on it.

I vaguely recalled Alice trying to hit on me that night, but I was too busy trying to find Bella. When I realised she had left, I went home too. Sitting in Dad's car in the garage downstairs I had cried for him, for the dream he had for me that was starting to come true, and for the woman I had thought I would share that dream with but had lost.

I tried calling her, but she never answered. I was later told she had packed her bags that night and flew back to Auckland the next morning without even saying goodbye to Alice or Esme.

She covered Billy Black's campaign that year and I felt jealous seeing her on TV shoving her tape recorder in his face the night he won a second term in office. I, too, had won, but it was a hollow victory with no one to share it with.

Three years later I watched Black on TV again, accepting his third term of office, but there was no Bella by his side. She wasn't by my side, either - she was in Australia - but I felt somehow buoyed by the fact she hadn't chosen him over me that time. I had put more effort into winning, and again I was victorious, but the missing piece of the puzzle hadn't returned to me.

I read all her reports from Sydney; I even saved some in a folder. Our paths, though, had never crossed when I went there on business, which I found strange because she seemed to be there to cover every other New Zealand MP who visited.

I was angry I had never had the chance to tell her how I felt. But I wasn't angry with her. I loved her.

After she moved away I had talked to Carlisle about how he and Esme had handled their relationship. He told me how much of a sacrifice it had been to leave his family and how his fellow MPs – friends he had known for years – had ostracised him.

"People seem to think your inability to keep your marriage vows equates with an inability to do your job. And that's where we politicians differ from everyone else. Your bank manager can get divorced and no one will accuse him of being unable to manage the bank. We are held to a higher standard," he had told me.

Carlisle was 20 years older than me and my mentor, so I had followed his advice and tried to hold myself to that higher standard. He hadn't discouraged me from finding love, but it went without saying that a married woman was out of the question.

Esme had told me once that she suspected Mike Newton had fed a lot of information to the tabloids about them. At the time, he had been an opportunistic backbencher with excellent connections in high places. With Carlisle gone from the hierarchy, the party lost the next election and floundered for a couple of years. Newton jumped at the chance to take over the leadership, but his inexperience, coupled with his intensely dislikeable demeanour, meant we lost the last two elections with him at the helm. Then shortly after the last election, karma came and bit him on the arse.

Jessica Stanley, a TV reporter with a tawdry reputation both personally and as a journalist, was heard bragging in the toilets during a break in a select committee hearing that she was shagging Newton. She told a small group of her cronies that she was just doing it to add some political intrigue to her memoirs, but she didn't count on there being another listener in the cubicles that day. It was Esme, who was there meeting Carlisle for lunch. She told me later with great glee how she had anonymously leaked the confession – taped on her cellphone – to some of her old media friends. They had no hesitation contacting an unsuspecting Mrs Newton to get her comments on the affair. Newton survived another six months as leader before resigning "to spend more time with his family". They later got divorced.

Carlisle had regained some of his standing in the party by this time and offered my name as a candidate for leader. It came as a huge surprise to find myself promoted so quickly, despite the media's insistence I had been groomed for the job from the beginning. Maybe I had been. Carlisle had been an old friend of my father's and he had approached me about standing as an MP not long after Dad died. He said it was what they had both wanted for me, so I agreed, not wanting to disappoint the two men who were my biggest role models. Of course, I had no hesitation selecting Carlisle as my deputy leader, restoring him to the rank he held before he fell in love with Esme.

The Newton affair had taught me not to underestimate her. Underneath the motherly exterior was an attack dog ready to defend her territory at all costs. I was glad she was in my corner. She treated me almost like a son, even though she wasn't that much older than me. Since taking over the party leadership last year she had even been my "first lady" for formal occasions, with Carlisle's blessing.

Nevertheless, I was surprised six months ago when Esme invited me over to their house for lunch. It had been just the two of us – Carlisle usually joined us – and she cut straight to the chase. She told me Bella was coming back to resume working at the gallery, and more or less ordered me to sort out my feelings for her once and for all.

I was completely taken aback, but then realised that Esme was her good friend and it was inevitable she had told her at some point about our attraction. I wondered who else she had told. Perhaps Alice, or her sister? I hoped no more than that.

"You've never talked to me about her, but I think she means a lot to you?" Esme asked gently. She put her hand on my thigh for emphasis, and I jumped because I was sporting a semi from thinking about Bella. When I began to protest that nothing was likely to happen because I was not about to break up a marriage, she silenced me with her upraised index finger, and an extraordinary statement.

"Edward, darling, she's free of that vile husband. He left her in Australia." Esme smiled warmly as a huge grin broke out across my face. I gave her a big hug. "Careful! People will start to talk!" she teased.

She told me all she knew. Bella's husband, Ben, was a journalist as well and they had been together since they were both 18 and at journalism school. She had fallen pregnant very soon after they graduated, so they got married. A second pregnancy soon followed. They worked opposite shifts so they could raise their two children, but all the while Ben had been having a series of affairs. Bella would find out and forgive him, but when I first met her they had been living apart because of his most recent transgression. When she returned to Auckland then, he agreed to go to Sydney with her and give their marriage another try. Of course, he resumed his philandering, and Esme said he was now living in Brisbane with a blonde half his age. Bella's sister had moved in with her to help with the children, who were now practically adults. They were all moving back to Wellington together.

Over lunch, Esme gave me sound advice about how I should proceed – cautiously – and how I should let Bella make the first move. She didn't give me any indication of how Bella felt for me, but I knew if she was available I wanted to pursue her.

It was all that I thought about. As I came to the end of playing "Angels", by Robbie Williams, I knew I had to make her mine forever. I just needed to work on it, but it was all so complicated, and after the election it would be even more so. I needed help, a friend to hear my problems and advise me, who didn't have a vested interest.

I opened my door and startled my two bodyguards. When I invited Emmett inside, Paul started to join him, but I put my arm out and told him he could stay on guard duty. Emmett looked confused and a little alarmed, while Paul smirked and returned to his post.

I offered Emmett some lunch, and while I made sandwiches he stood nervously rocking on the balls of his feet.

"Sit down. Don't be nervous. I just want to ask you something."

Emmett cautiously sat down at the counter and accepted the plate I offered.

"Do you have a partner?" I asked, sitting next to him with my own plate.

"Yes, sir. Paul. He's outside," he said slowly, like I was a moron.

"No, I mean a wife or a girlfriend. Or partner." I emphasised the last word so Emmett got my meaning. He did.

"Nooooo. No, no, sir. No girlfriend. Not in this job. I'd never see her"

"No, I'm sorry about that. And if it goes well for me tonight you'll be spending even more time with me."

"Um, sure. All part of the job," he said, but he was looking around the room in panic.

"I- this is difficult for me to say. I want you to do some things for me and I need to know you can be discrete."

"Um, sir, I'm not that way inclined-" he began.

"What?! I never said you were! I just used the word 'partner' to cover all the options."

"No, sir, I mean I don't think I can do anything like _that_ with you…"

I laughed as it clicked into place. "Emmett, I'm in love _with a woman_. You have nothing to be worried about. I need your help so I can start seeing her out of the public eye."

He looked at me in confusion for a second before the penny dropped and he laughed, too. "Sorry, sir. It's just that there have been rumours…"

"How long have you been working for me? Have you ever seen me with _anyone_ – male or female?"

"No, sir."

"I have been, ah – how shall I put it? – _abstaining_. Waiting for her. And right now she's in a lot of trouble and I can't seem to get anyone to do anything about it. It's frustrating the hell out of me." I ran both hands through my hair and kept them there.

Emmett looked thoughtful. "If I were you, I'd get some mates together and bust some heads."

Hmm. I didn't have any mates who looked like Emmett, who could bust down doors and carry Bella to safety. But maybe there was one old friend I could ask. I shook my guard's hand.

"Emmett, you've given me a great idea. Thank you. You can go back out now if you want. Take some food for Paul."

When Emmett had gone I made a phone call to my old university classmate, Seth Clearwater, who was now one of the Navy's top brass.

"Seth, I know you can't take any orders from me – not yet, anyway – but I was wondering if you could do me a favour?"

"Sure, mate. Anything."

"Do you have any ships out by Ahitipua?"

"Yeah, there's one just on its way back from the Gulf that could get there by early tomorrow. My sister Leah's the XO."

"Do they have emergency aid onboard?"

"Should have. Is this for the volcano?"

"Yeah. Black isn't sending any aid, and there are Kiwis stranded up there. Could you tell Leah, just quietly, to set a course for there, and I'll give the order officially later tonight when I get my new job?"

"I think I can have a quiet word in her ear."

"There might be another favour I have to ask…"

***

Later that night, I became prime minister. Billy Black rang to concede about 11pm, and as soon as I hung up from him I rang Seth to make my earlier request official. I then rejoined Esme and Carlisle in their living room, and, with Rosalie, Emmett and Paul, we made our way to party headquarters where I would address the nation live on television. Those were my priorities; getting Bella back came ahead of my friends and the country.

***


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks to all who read and reviewed last week. As an incentive, reviewers this week can expect a teaser for Chapter 7 in their inboxes… so please, won't you leave me some love? I'm also in the process of being validated over on Twilighted and will let you all know when that is up, in case you prefer to read over there.**

**I went a bit crackfic in this chapter – maybe it was cabin fever after being cooped up with a sick child. Anyhoo, the name of the ship, Aroha, means "love" in Maori. Hence this is the Love Boat, LOL! The pic which inspired the cheesy name can be found on my profile page, along with other pictures for this chapter. **

**As always, my love goes to debb24601, WhitbySucks (aka girlpower) and FluffyLiz for their feedback and giggles. Couldn't do it without you, sweeties! **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them play An Officer and a Gentleman. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 6**

BPOV

"Are you Bella Swan? Ma'am? Ma'am, wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes and a woman in white was standing over me. Was I at a wedding? Was I dead? I'd been dreaming about the night I met Edward… God! So much of that night I had forgotten. I closed my eyes again to try to bring the dream back. That white was too bright, I had a headache and someone was groping my tit.

Gingerly, I opened one eye and saw that I was spooning with Eric on the couch in my hotel room. He was still passed out, but had a firm grip on my right breast. A cockroach was crawling on his arm, and it made me jump slightly.

The naval officer standing beside me raised her eyebrows. "Ms Swan? I'm Lieutenant Commander Leah Clearwater from HMNZS Aroha. I've been sent here to get you."

"What on earth is that noise?" I shouted.

"Our helicopter, ma'am. It's waiting to take us back to the ship."

I lurched forward and rolled off the couch into a kneeling position on the carpet. Hoisting myself up using the coffee table, I surveyed the array of empty bottles strewn across it and the floor. We had drunk a lot. Still, the vision in white seemed real enough. She was tall and athletic, with dark hair pulled back into a bun under her regulation cap. As I scanned the room I could see more people in white, mostly young men with buzzcuts. They appeared to be guarding the door.

I gave Eric a shake or 12, and he eventually woke up, swearing. "What the fuck? Bella? What is that fucking noise? And why is it so fucking bright in here?" He scrubbed his face with his hands and blinked several times to focus. "Is that the fucking Navy?"

"They've come to take us home. In a warship." I still sounded drunk. This couldn't be happening.

"And you are, sir?" Lt Cdr Clearwater asked Eric. He told her his name but she looked like she had never heard of him. "My orders are only to find Ms Swan, but if you would like transportation off the island I'm sure we can take anyone who wishes to leave." She turned to me. "My orders are to leave with you immediately."

I hurried to gather my things as Eric did likewise in his room. He had used mine as a base ever since the eruption so his room was incredibly neat by comparison. I wondered what the Navy would report back to Wellington about the state it found me in.

Wellington. I would be home soon.

"Edward!" I blurted, and Lt Cdr Clearwater suddenly turned to look at me. "Um, do you happen to know who won the election?"

"I do. Mr Masen won in a landslide."

"Yesss," I fist-pumped the air. My heart started racing at the thought of seeing him again soon. Of course, I wanted to see my family, and Ali and Esme, and I wanted to give Jazz a piece of my mind, but most of all I wanted to see Edward. I wanted a one-on-one exclusive with the only man who had ever made me feel beautiful and desirable. Circumstances had changed so much and these last few days had confirmed to me that I had to seize the day.

I told Lt Cdr Clearwater there were special votes at the high commission, and she assured me other officers from the ship would go and collect them. I felt sure Marcus would want to stay on the island, but told the lieutenant there might be others wishing to leave with us. It seemed that as well as food and medical aid, the frigate planned to leave behind some of its engineers to help mend the phone and power lines. We would steam to Cairns in Australia, then fly home to Wellington while the Aroha made a return trip to Ahitipua with more extensive provisions.

When we got into the Seasprite helicopter that would take us out to the ship, Marcus ran up to wave us goodbye. I mouthed "Good luck" to him over the sound of the rotor blades, and he nodded. Once on board the ship we discovered we were being joined by half a dozen expats. Everyone else was determined to stay and rebuild the island.

The voyage to Cairns was long enough for me to write a personal account of our ordeal for the Chronicle. I left out the binge drinking; Jazz would find out soon enough when he got the bill from the hotel.

From tropical Cairns we flew home feeling elated. It was Monday afternoon by the time we landed in Wellington, and I had never been more appreciative of the customary bumpy landing. When the wheels hit the tarmac I reached for Eric's hand. We had been through a lot together, and even though he was an Aussie, I had decided he was OK.

Walking from Customs out to the visitors' lounge first, I spied a tall, attractive man in a blue beanie and sunglasses waiting anxiously to one side. He was self-consciously holding a bunch of flowers, and was flanked by a burly chap with an earpiece in his ear. _Edward and Emmett_. Who were they here to see? I couldn't think clearly. More than 24 hours of travelling had left me exhausted, slightly nauseous and a little tipsy again from the in-flight booze, and my heart was racing at the sight of him.

Edward tried to run his free hand through his hair in that endearingly familiar way, but was foiled by his beanie. Instead, he took off his sunglasses and took a step forward, reaching out to touch my hand. He looked like he was going to give me a handshake, but when our skin met it became more of a handhold than a handshake. He shoved the flowers behind him to Emmett without letting me go and took my hand in both of his. His long thumb traced my lifeline while the fingers of his left hand ran lightly back and forth against the top of my hand. It felt divine.

Although it had been ages since he had so much as shaken my hand, the flush of warmth that swept through my body when he touched me indicated the old feelings had not subsided. I knew I was blushing like a schoolgirl, but I couldn't help it.

"Oh, my God!" he exhaled, staring into my eyes with intense relief. "I thought you were never–"

"Bella!"

Edward suddenly dropped my hand and took a step back. Before I knew it I was being engulfed in a hug by Alice, Esme, Charlie, Renee and Angela. Eric came out from the Customs area and grabbed me around the waist from behind, causing me to squeal and whirl around. I pushed him away and turned back to look past my friends and family to where Edward had been, but he had disappeared. Jasper was walking towards us in the spot where Edward and Emmett had just been. Had I just imagined that? I was a bit jet-lagged, but his touch felt real enough and my heart was still pounding rapidly.

I didn't have time to think with all the chaos around me. Everyone was talking at once, and some of my media friends were there, too, asking questions like I was big news or something. They were taking pictures, and Jessica Stanley was shoving her microphone in my face.

"This is crazy," I said to no one in particular.

"Calm down." Jasper grabbed my elbow and started leading me to a nearby conference room. "I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't agree but I've arranged a press conference for you to tell your story."

"They'll scoop me, though. You haven't run my piece yet."

"I've run more than they have, and tomorrow we'll have a double-page spread of your words and Eric's pics. And all the other media will be telling people to buy it."

"Jazz, you are an evil genius."

"Well, it makes a change from the election. Edward Masen's on the cover of all the papers today. You can be the covergirl tomorrow. He was just here before… did you see him?"

"No, was he? Perhaps he was meeting some of his new Cabinet."

"At international?"

"I dunno. Maybe someone was overseas?" My bluff was getting less plausible by the minute, but thankfully we were about to start the press conference. Eric, Jazz and I sat at a table at the head of the room while about 20 of our friends asked us about our week-long tropical holiday. It was quite surreal. My family stood at the back, smiling in relief, as I told the potted version. The full story I would save for the Chronicle.

Alice and Esme laughed the loudest when Eric managed to insinuate we'd spent the whole week in bed together, when we weren't sacrificing local virgins to the volcano gods. I thumped his arm several times, and each time the cameras whirred to life. _Oh, God_. So that would be tomorrow's front page. I hoped like hell Edward wouldn't read it.

After 20 minutes I began to feel very tired, and told the room I was going home. I posed for a few photos with Eric and Jazz, then with my kids, before my friends led me away. Outside the terminal, I gave Jazz and Eric a hug in farewell. They were heading to the office to work on our feature article.

"Have a couple of days off. Then we'll talk about you taking over Garrett's job," Jazz whispered in my ear.

"Thanks, Jazz, I'll be at home if you need me. Sleeping." I shot a look at Eric. "By myself."

Esme brought her Volvo SUV around and all the rest of us piled in. Back at the house I shared with Angela and Renee, pizzas were ordered and cocktails mixed. Charlie stayed long enough to eat but declined a beer as he had to drive back to the police college in Porirua. He sensed correctly that the evening was about to deteriorate into a heavy-duty gossip session.

"I'm going to leave you ladies to it," he smiled, before kissing each of us in turn and heading for the door. Charlie was 19 and had turned into the living image of his father. He was much kinder, though, and would make an excellent police officer.

Renee was a little uncomfortable around us, too. At almost 18, she knew enough about my friends to realise the conversation was probably going to turn to sex pretty early on. So when Alice started teasing me about Eric's inappropriate touching, she shuddered. "Ewww, Mum! That is so gross. I don't even want to think about you having sex!"

"God, honey! Like I'd have sex with Eric! Give me some credit!"

I drew her into a drunken hug, but she soon pulled away. "I'm gonna go study in my room. Please try to keep the noise down." She directed the last comment to Alice, who snorted and took another swig of her Cosmopolitan.

When Renee left, I looked at my two best friends and my sister sitting in a casual circle in my living room. "I'm having a _Sex and the City_ moment! We should try on clothes."

"Nah. We can only do that at Ali's house. She has the best selection," Esme moaned. "Let's talk about men!"

I raised my eyebrows at her and mock-whispered, "How much has she had to drink?", but secretly I was dying to talk about Edward. The women in this room were the only ones who knew how infatuated I was with him, but even they didn't know the whole story. They knew I had dined with the man I thought was a piano player, but none of them knew I had gone home with him that night. Alice and I joked and drooled over him, and at work had tried to delve into his past, but Alice didn't know I had the ulterior motive of jealousy. I had felt his enormous cock hard against my stomach that night, and it wasn't the kind of thing one forgot easily. I needed to know who else might have felt it, and so far we couldn't find anyone. For that reason, I still had hope. I had treated him appallingly and had no right to hope for anything, but if I got another chance I wouldn't turn him down again.

"Well, OK, I'll start." Angela startled me by raising her hand. "I know you said you wouldn't touch him, but I certainly wouldn't kick Eric out of bed."

"Ange! Wash your mouth out with soap!" I was horrified.

"OK, make fun of me, then, but you've had sex in the last 10 years. I haven't."

"Sex with Ben doesn't count," I muttered. "Anything under five minutes long shouldn't count."

Alice patted Angela on the back. "Awww, sweetie! Don't worry, when I go into the office in the morning I'll give him your phone number."

"Make sure you tell him it's not me he's calling! Although, I have to say he wasn't too bad on the island. He's an arrogant prick most of the time, but he can be quite sweet. We bonded over Crowded House."

"Oh, yes?" Alice leaned forward.

"Not like that. We got drunk and shared an iPod before the battery died. He cheered me up a little."

"Did you think you weren't going to make it back?" Esme asked.

"Nah. Not really. I knew aid would come eventually. I was just missing home, you guys and work."

"And Edward?" Alice smirked.

"OK, yes. Alright? I admit it. I was so pissed off at Jasper for sending me up there and then we got stuck… and I had been really looking forward to being here on election night."

Alice and Esme filled me in on what I had missed from the last week of the campaign, including Ali's crying fit in Masterton and the election night party. I was so jealous of Ali I threw a cushion at her.

"You got pulled out for a private audience with him? You are such a lucky bitch, Brandon."

"Rose was there, so it was hardly intimate, and all he did was ask me about you. The next thing I know he's vowing to send in the military and all of a sudden you're back. The guy gets things done, I'll give him that."

"Well, someone would have helped eventually-" I began, but my friends started to scoff.

"She has no idea, does she?" Alice asked the others, then turned to me. "Dood! He sent. The Navy. To. Get. You!" She enunciated very slowly and clearly.

"He did not!" I blushed.

"Um, actually, he did. Carlisle told me he'd seen the report – Edward asked for the Navy to rescue you specifically. By name," Esme said quietly.

My mouth gaped open. "What?!"

"Edward diverted a warship to get you. Only you. Eric and the others were incidental." She smiled at me knowingly. "What do you think that tells you?"

"Close your mouth, sis, or you'll catch flies," Angela teased.

I closed it, but it kept falling open on its own. I was stunned. What did that tell me?

"Bells? Are you OK?" Alice giggled.

"I dunno. I have a funny feeling I'm in a remake of _An Officer and a Gentleman_. I think Edward Masen will be the death of me."

"Oh, baby, what a way to go, though!" Alice raised her glass in a toast. "To death by Masen!"

I laughed so much I thought I was going to pee. For a moment I lost my brain filter. "And I've felt that anaconda, ladies. He's packing serious heat!"

Suddenly, the laughter stopped. "What?" they all said together.

"You've felt it?" Alice asked. "When?"

"Oh, shit. I never told you that bit, did I?" I took a large gulp of my Cosmo. "The night I first met him we didn't just have dinner. I went home with him. We almost got naked, but Ange called and I asked him to take me home."

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry! I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me?"

I took my sister's hand and squeezed it. "'Cos I knew it was wrong. I was still married to Ben, and even though he had never treated it like a marriage, I realised when you rang that I didn't want to stoop as low as him. But it fucking killed me to have to walk away. Edward is so perfect he can't be human… and I really wanted to have him do me up against his piano."

"Ewww!" they chorused, before bursting into giggles.

"That wasn't fair. I now have an image in my head – God, Carlisle would never let me go out to an official function with him again if he knew what I was thinking!" Esme laughed.

"Maybe you'll have to let Carlisle take you up against your piano sometime, just to drown out the vision?" I countered.

"Who says we haven't already done that?" she smirked, and we all hooted.

"It really is a wonder the tabloids haven't said you and Edward are a couple, the number of times you've been his date. Hasn't Carlisle ever been jealous? You do have a bit of a reputation as a home wrecker." I winced at Ali's choice of words, but luckily we were all good friends and too drunk to take offence.

"No, Carlisle and I both know Edward's only ever been in love with one woman."

"Who?" we all shouted.

Esme tapped the side of her nose with her index finger. "That would be telling, and he asked me not to. But I know her well and she's a lovely person. They would be great together."

"Esme! I am so fucking jealous of whoever she is!" I seethed.

"Oh, don't be." She smiled at me oddly, and I got the nagging feeling I was missing something. Esme got up and grabbed her things. "Anyway, time I was going home." She swayed on her feet. "But maybe I should call a cab."

"Can I share? I should be going, too. Jazz is making me work early tomorrow."

"You'd do anything for him," I said, elbowing her in the ribs. She giggled in confirmation.

When their taxi arrived Esme hugged me and whispered in my ear, "It's up to you. He's waiting". As she walked out the front door I stood puzzled. _What the hell did that mean? Shit, I must be drunk_.

When Alice hugged me goodbye, she pressed her business card into my hand.

"But I know your phone number, doofus."

"Look on the back. I got it from Emmett. _He_ wants you to use it."

I knew by her look that she didn't mean Emmett. I turned the card over to see a cellphone number written in Ali's elegant hand. I didn't recognise the number. Alice drew in closer again to whisper in my ear. "It's his private phone. You can call anytime."

_Fuck_. As I waved at them from the doorstep it dawned on me that maybe they saw things much more clearly than I did.

After Angela and I tidied up the lounge, I suddenly felt exhausted and decided to head for bed. I hugged my sister goodnight.

"I'm so sorry I ruined your one chance with Edward," she said sincerely.

"Maybe it wasn't my only chance," I smiled back.

"I hope not. If anyone deserves happiness it's you."

"I could say the same about you. I'm definitely telling Eric all about you when I get back to work."

Angela chuckled, and I headed up the stairs to my room. Renee's light was still on and she blew me a kiss goodnight from her desk.

I was tired, but sleep eluded me. I lay in bed listening first to my sister, then my daughter as they turned in for the night, but I was wide awake, daring the scenarios filling my head to come true.

That night in Blenheim I had seen something on Edward's face I thought was hope. Perhaps I could dare to hope, too, that it wasn't too late for me to take back what I said all those years ago. He had showed up at the airport, after all. I wasn't sure what that meant, but about three things I was absolutely certain.

First, Edward Masen was prime minister now, and that could be a problem for both of us.

Second, part of him, and I knew exactly which enormous part – I could picture it straining against his trouser fabric – wanted me.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably horny.

There may have been a fourth thing, but I was too busy rubbing one out, thinking about the second thing, to remember what it was.

***


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I had a fantastic day yesterday watching the Remember Me London premiere on You Tube, and squeed so loud when a certain someone said he would love to be prime minister! Well, this is your story, baby! A link to that interview is now on my profile page, along with some other inspiration for this chapter.**

**Thanks to all who read and reviewed last week. I've attracted a few new readers from Teaser Monday – welcome! Now is a good time to join our story, as things are hotting up.**

**Big sloppy kisses to debb24601, who makes me want to visit Canada and get drunk with her and WhitbySucks (aka girlpower). FluffyLiz's computer caught a virus for this chapter but all is well now and she will be back on board for the perving next week. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them hang out in Wellington for a bit. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 7**

EPOV

"What's wrong? You look like you're going to have a coronary," Rose handed me a glass of water and told me to stop pacing.

I was in the middle of packing up my Bowen House office to move over to the Beehive when Lt Cdr Clearwater's report arrived. This had been the longest Sunday in history – a very late night at party headquarters celebrating the win, followed by a restless, sleepless few hours back at my apartment alone. I had risen quite early and come straight to my office, where I took congratulatory calls from some other world leaders and tried to prepare for the transition to office.

Rose had arrived about an hour ago, still hung over, but I was really glad for her help. She always seemed to sense my mood but never pried. I appreciated that, and told her so. She took the hint and left me alone to read the report.

Bella was safe, thank God, and on her way to Cairns on the frigate. Lt Cdr Clearwater said she had been found "in a compromising position" in a hotel room with her photographer, who was now also aboard the ship. What the hell did that mean? Was I too late? _Damn_. I slammed my hand down on my desk and papers blew everywhere in the downdraft.

Rose poked her head around the door again. "Anything I can do?"

"Yes, please. We need to arrange some flights back to New Zealand for these people." I handed her a page from the report, and saw her face register recognition at Bella's name.

"I'll get right on it," she said. "Are you sure you're OK?"

"I will be, I hope."

My other staff joined us as the afternoon went on – my private secretary Alistair McKenna and advisers Jason Jenks and Liam Powers. They were full of the news that Billy Black had decided to retire following his defeat. James Clarke and Billy's son, backbencher Jacob Black, were likely to be the new party leaders.

Carlisle arrived with some food for us from Esme, and he and Alistair worked with the head of the prime minister's department, Tanya Denali, on transition details. As he was sifting through e-mails he saw the report from the Navy. "What's this?"

"I had the Navy detour to Ahitipua last night."

"Did you check with Black first? He's still officially PM; you don't have your warrant yet."

"I asked Clarke but he wasn't interested, so I called in a favour with Seth Clearwater."

"Why on earth would you do that? You don't have any authority-"

"I have a mandate from the people, and the situation there was urgent. I don't care if it's against the rules. It's done now."

Carlisle raised his eyebrows at me but said nothing. He turned back to the report, and as he read, his eyebrows raised higher. "Bella Swan?" I gave him a look that told him not to pursue his line of questioning. He smirked. "'Compromising position'? This gets even better."

"Carlisle, don't. I'm not in the mood."

"I happen to know all about Eric Yorkie, if you're interested. Esme knows him. He's one of those annoying Aussies who's always trying it on with the ladies. He rarely has much success."

"Well, apparently this time he has," I said shortly, and immediately changed the subject. "Anyway, we have a Cabinet list to discuss."

The phone continued to ring into the night, with colleagues vying for promotion, more calls of congratulation and requests for interviews. I was exhausted, but knew sleep would probably elude me again tonight.

When he escorted me home, I asked Emmett inside again. This time Paul's smirk turned into a full-blown giggle, until Emmett shot him a filthy look and he stopped.

Inside, I offered the policeman a drink, which he declined. I poured myself a shot of bourbon and took a deep breath.

"You remember what we were talking about yesterday? About getting some mates together and doing the rescue thing?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I did it. She's coming home to me, Emmett, but I'm not sure if she's free any more. I had a small window of opportunity and it may have now closed on me." I downed my drink in one swallow and went to pour a second.

"Well, sir, if I may suggest something?" I nodded. "You won't know anything until you talk to her."

"Were you ever a hostage negotiator? You always say the right thing." Emmett chuckled at my comment. "So, do you fancy going on a field trip tomorrow?"

***

I wore my beanie and sunglasses in case anyone recognised me at the airport. I was on the front page of all the papers, so when I walked through the automatic doors I felt completely exposed, like all eyes had turned to look at me. I kept my head down and my stride steady.

Then she appeared, pushing her luggage trolley and looking tired and slightly disoriented. I went in for a handshake, but as soon as I touched her I was mesmerized. Instead of a handshake, I was holding her hand, caressing it, comparing how it felt to how I had imagined it. I could feel myself harden, and drew in a breath.

"Oh my God, I thought you were never-"

My confession was cut short by the squeals of three women who had just run towards us. I ducked my head but hadn't been recognised – they were here for Bella. All of a sudden she was engulfed in the arms of Alice, Esme and another woman who had arrived with two teenagers. They also joined the group hug, and then a man appeared from the Customs exit who seemed to know Bella intimately. She squealed as he grabbed her waist and tried to lift her up, and I immediately felt very stupid. I turned to Emmett, who was holding the flowers.

"It appears I _am_ too late." I sighed. "This feels like it's dirty… feels like it's wrong. We're leaving." I strode past him, keeping my head down. "And get rid of those."

Emmett looked puzzled but obeyed, dropping the bouquet in a bin. As we walked out the door to the carpark, Jasper Whitlock came in and recognised me.

"Good afternoon, sir. Congratulations," he said.

I nodded and kept on walking. I hoped his news sense would not pursue why I had been there.

***

I looked at the clock: 11.11pm. I really should get some sleep but there was still so much paperwork to do and I knew I wouldn't sleep even if I went to bed. Everyone had wondered where Emmett and I had disappeared to this afternoon, but thankfully no one was brave enough to call the prime minister out on his truancy. It had been such a fiasco in the end, and it seemed abundantly clear to me now that Bella had moved on with her life. I was deluding myself to ever think she would want someone like me, and when I thought about it I realised all she had ever done was push me away. I would just have to get over it and put all my concentration and effort into running the country. New Zealand was my mistress now.

The sound of the phone gave me a shock. Who would ring me at this time of night? Not many people had my private number, so I feared the worst as I answered. "Hello?"

"Um, hi. It's Bella. Bella Swan?" She made it sound like she thought I would not remember her. As if I didn't know which Bella was the reason for my existence. "Um, sorry to ring you so late at night. Alice gave me your number."

I wasn't sure what to say; I wanted to say so many things all at once. I settled on, "Mmm".

"Um, so, ah, I just wanted to thank you. It appears you, um, came to my rescue." She sounded so nervous, and I just wanted to comfort her with honesty. It was now or never.

"What choice did I have? I…" I lowered my voice. "Bella, this is going to sound really inappropriate, but I cannot be without you." I heard her gasp and mutter an expletive. _Did she just say "Fuck me"?_ My dick certainly thought that was an invitation. I figured I'd better go on before I lost my nerve.

"I know you have other commitments, and you've said before you aren't interested in me, but I would have gone to war to get you back. I was going to send in the SAS to get you, but I didn't want you being swept away in the arms of some hunky soldier. The only arms I want you in are mine."

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. You have to know I didn't want to say what I said to you – you know, _that_ night. It was true, to a point, but it wasn't what I really wanted to say. My priorities were different then."

"Were those your children at the airport?"

"Yeah. They're adults now; they don't need me as much as they did back then. And, in case you didn't know, my husband and I have been divorced for months."

"I had heard you weren't with him any more… but I wasn't sure if you had, um, found someone else?"

"What? No. Why?"

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. My dick was really enjoying talking to her on the phone.

"The naval officer who found you wrote me a report-"

"Oh, fuck!"

"Um, so I understand if you have another, um…"

"What? Look, I know my hotel room looked like there'd been an orgy in it," (My dick twitched again) "but there were a lot of mini bars and hardly any other guests and I was with an Australian and we didn't know whether we would be rescued and if you saw the news tonight, well, he was totally making all of that stuff up. We didn't have sex or sacrifice any virgins or-"

"What? Slow down, I can't keep up. What virgins?"

She heard the laughter in my voice and seemed to calm down. I heard her sigh. "Eric told the press conference we were in bed the whole time, but he only wishes."

"The report said you were found – and I quote – "in a compromising position" with him." I tried to sound calm but couldn't really hide my anger.

"He passed out on top of me on the sofa, and the Navy found him with his hand on my, um, my breast."

"Lucky bastard," I breathed, as my cock registered his jealousy, too. She wasn't meant to have heard that but she must have done.

"I was dreaming about you and the night we met. I really wish we could start over again. I've treated you appallingly and it honestly was the second biggest mistake of my life."

"The second?"

"Ben was the first. He never loved me, and I realise now that I never loved him, either. I've had the last few years to give me some perspective, and I think, um, you helped me discover that." Under her breath she added, "Fuck, I'm not saying this right".

"So you want to start again?"

"You probably don't want to have anything to do with me…" she trailed off.

"Hi," I said.

"Hi?"

"We're starting again. Hi, I'm Edward Masen."

"Bella Swan. Pleased to meet you." There was silence on the other end of the phone, but I could sense she was smiling.

"So, how far back does this clean slate go? Only, there are certain parts of that night we met that I would like to be able to remember." _And re-enact_.

"Me too. How about we take it back to when my phone rang?"

"Do you still want it to ring?" _Was she cockblocking me again?_

"It can ring if it wants. I just won't answer it. If I recall, I was about to follow you into your bedroom."

I breathed heavily into the phone. Freeing myself from my trousers, I began to stroke. "I think you're right. I can still arrange a tour, if you'd like."

"I've seen Premier House already."

"No, I haven't moved in there yet. I'm still at the apartment."

"I loved your apartment. I hope you're keeping it."

"No, I'm not going to give this place up. I've got to have somewhere to live when it all goes pear-shaped. And I have some pleasant memories and, um, fantasies…"

"The piano," she groaned.

I closed my eyes and quickened my pace. "Mmm, among other places."

"Fuck," she whispered. _Yes, please_, my dick twitched his response.

I stilled my hand and made a decision.

"Bella, being apart… it didn't work out so well for either of us. I don't have the strength to stay away from you any more."

"Then don't."

***


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: There should probably be a warning with this chapter because it caused my betas to shout at me on Twitter in capital letters. They also had to have cold showers and replace their chairs. (I heart you so hard, debb24601, Whitbysucks/girlpower and FluffyLiz!) So, dear readers, you have been warned!**

**Huge thanks to all who read and reviewed last week. I'm still waiting to hear back from Twilighted but in the meantime have put my story up on my own blog site - kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com – where it also has all the pretty pix and music for each chapter. I have them on my FF profile page as well and have fixed up the links that didn't work for chapter three. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them get a bit steamy. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 8**

BPOV

There was an urgent knock at the door. _What the fuck?_ I was in the kitchen getting a glass of water after my astounding phone call with Edward, and I looked at the clock. _It's past midnight. Who on earth…?_

I went to the peephole and looked out. A tall man was standing with his back to me, anxiously scanning the street. He ran a hand through his gorgeous hair and shot a nervous glance at the door. I stopped breathing. _He's here. He's come for me_.

I flung the door open and he whirled around.

"Are your family here?" he asked instead of a greeting.

"They're all asleep. They won't wake up." I was staring at his lips, willing him to lean towards me.

He took a second to look me up and down. I had answered the door with no sense of decorum, and just wore the thin navy blue silk chemise I had worn to bed. The left spaghetti strap had fallen off my shoulder and I was showing a considerable amount of cleavage. The cold outside air was making my nipples even more obvious, and he noticed. He stepped into the house and closed the door quietly behind him, never taking his eyes off me.

That look told me all I needed to know. I had no more doubts. He wanted me as much as I wanted him.

Backing me up against the hallway wall, he leaned down and whispered, "You don't know how long I've waited for you". His hands were on my hips as his lips found mine, and they were every bit as world-altering as I remembered.

His hands moved up: one to the small of my back; the other brushed the side of my left breast. We both groaned in unison, and I could feel the wetness pooling between my legs. All the while our lips were joined, tasting and exploring. His hand on my back pressed me into his firmness; his other hand gently kneaded and teased my nipple.

Breaking the kiss, he looked down as his fingers entwined in my fallen spaghetti strap and pulled, exposing me to him. A quick glance into my eyes was followed by a hungry lunge for my breast. Dropping to his knees, he took my nipple in his mouth, and it was the sexiest thing I had ever seen. I almost came right there and then.

He looked up at me through his long, dark lashes, and it was all too much. My back arched and I groaned in ecstasy. He was good. He uncovered the other breast, and used his thumb to roll and pinch one as he sucked the other. I could feel my wetness increase, and I was panting to the point of hyperventilation. I ran my hands through his hair to steady their trembling, but not before he noticed and stopped his ministrations.

"Are you cold?" He stood and enveloped me in his arms.

"No, just a little overwhelmed. And nervous. I've, um, only ever been with one man before." I couldn't look him in the eye, but he placed two fingers under my chin and tilted my head so I had to.

"We won't do anything you don't want to do, OK?"

I relaxed, and lowered my gaze to his bulging trousers. I imagined what he would feel like pushing inside me, and I almost came again.

Edward was continuing to caress me all over, nudging the silk sheath down to the floor as he went.

"Please, let me see you?" he whispered into my hair, and I nodded. He knelt again and helped me step out of the nightgown, running his hands down my thighs and encouraging my legs to stay apart once I was completely naked in front of him.

"Beautiful," he said, kissing a path across my thighs towards where I knew he could feel heat radiating from my molten core. I gasped as he kissed my lower stomach and tentatively reached in a long, elegant finger, then two. I groaned and my knees went weak.

"So wet," he marveled.

"You did that to me."

My hands were back in his beautiful hair again, gripping the silky strands as he worked in firm, tantalising circles around my clit. My head fell back against the wall as waves of pleasure burst from me.

"Fuck! Edward!" I cried out as I came, harder than I could have ever made myself cum. He had been studying my folds intently as he manipulated them, but at the sound of his name he looked up at me, smoldering.

"I've dreamed about this for so long. I want to make love with you, worship you. I want to make you cum for me, again and again. You're all I want."

His words sent another surge of electricity through me and I arched my back, causing his nose to nudge my clit.

"Mmmm," he groaned, as he inhaled deeply. His stubble rubbed delicious sharp pinpricks against my sensitive skin, and I exhaled his name shakily again.

When he was satisfied I had cum at least three times, he stood again and wrapped me in his arms. "We should go somewhere more comfortable."

I nodded, taking his hand and leading him up the stairs to my room. Thankfully, the sound of the door and my little noises didn't appear to have woken Angela or Renee. I shut the door behind us and ran my hands up his chest.

"Before I called you," I started unbuttoning his white shirt, "I was in here, touching myself, thinking about you." I smirked up at him as he groaned.

"I would have liked to have seen that."

I kissed his chest as I exposed it with each button, finally pulling his shirt out from his black dress trousers and pushing it off his shoulders to fall on the floor. His bare chest felt wonderful beneath my fingers as I caressed the muscles and soft hairs. I drew my fingertips down his chest and abdomen, and gripped his belt. Sliding my fingers inside the elastic of his boxer briefs, I could feel how much they were stretched out to contain his erection. My fingers grazed his tip and he sucked in a sudden breath.

We didn't need to speak. My eyes told him what I needed next. He undid his belt and trousers and I pushed his briefs down with them.

Then it was my turn to suck in a breath. He was magnificent – and huge. "Oh, my!"

Edward gave me a lopsided grin. "I was stroking him while I was talking to you on the phone. But then I thought it would be much better for him to meet you in person," he whispered.

His voice was like melting honey, and I suddenly wanted to taste him to see if that flavoured everything about him. I glanced up through my eyelashes at his face as I leaned down towards his straining erection. He groaned, knowing what I was about to do. I pushed his chest back, forcing him to sit on the edge of my unmade bed while I kneeled in front of him. His breathing was ragged and he closed his eyes, allowing me to appreciate again his gloriously long lashes. Gripping the base of his shaft with one hand, I ran my tongue around his tip, dipping it into his slit to lap up all the leaking pre-cum. He twitched and firmed as I took him all the way into my mouth, feeling his protruding veins bulge against my tongue. They pulsed as I applied light suction, and it made me smile and hum. That just made him groan louder.

"Ah, fuck… Bella!" He placed both hands gently on the side of my head to still my movements. "I don't want to cum in your mouth," he whispered, gently but forcefully guiding my face up towards his. "This time."

We fell back onto the bed as we kissed, and his hands were everywhere, tenderly exploring and caressing. When I dared open my eyes he was always looking at me adoringly, and I came from the sheer emotion in his eyes. _So this was what it felt like to be in love. _

_Wow – did my head just say "love"?_

I wanted to say it, out loud, but I suspected it was far too soon.

He lifted me slightly, moving me from my side to my back so he was on top of me, kissing a trail from my lips, down my jaw and neck to my breasts. Shifting his weight to his left elbow, his right hand again found my slick folds. He took my nipple between his teeth and gently bit down as he firmly rubbed my clit, making me come harder than I had ever done before. I arched my back and writhed against him, but the sensation wouldn't stop. Edward sat back a little and smirked. "Was that good?"

"Fuuuck," was all I could manage to exhale, my eyes rolling back in my head.

"All in due time," he smiled, kissing my breasts again and causing me to buck. He stilled me with firm hands on my hips as he continued to kiss a path down past my navel to the soft skin where torso meets legs. Licking a trail inward around the top of each leg, Edward paused as he surveyed me at close range.

"So beautiful," he repeated, giving me that heartbreakingly tender look from his campaign photograph. I reached out to touch his cheek, as if to echo his words. Edward was breathtakingly beautiful, but that wasn't how I had ever considered myself. Ben had never told me I was pretty, and my body had proved less appealing to him after the ravages of two pregnancies. I knew it was no longer perfect but Edward disagreed, and I loved him so much more for that. No one had ever made me feel this way. No one had ever touched me the way he knew how, or in the places he was discovering. It was like I was the virgin being sacrificed to his molten hot sex god, and I was going willingly. Except somehow it was me that was being worshipped.

I gasped when he sucked my folds into his mouth, licking and kissing and grazing with his teeth. Like I needed to get any wetter down there. He looked up from his task and fixed me with a smoldering look. Suddenly, his lips were back on mine, his need very obvious as it hovered above my entrance.

"Stay very still." He kissed me and turned away, quickly rolling off the bed and walking over to his clothes on the floor. I sat up a little to appreciate the view. "Don't move," he warned, playfully.

I craned my neck to see what he was looking for in his trouser pocket. The crease in his forehead lightened when he found it, and he grinned at me and leapt back on the bed. In his hand was a tiny foil packet.

"Emmett gave me this… just in case," he smiled widely.

"Thank you, Emmett," I grinned back, as I took the packet from him and opened it. Slowly, reverentially, I rolled the condom down his length. He groaned, and the feeling that sound evoked in me made me gasp.

Positioning himself on top of me, he paused to kiss me. "My angel. Mine," he whispered as he pushed in slightly, just the tip. It was every bit as wonderful as I had imagined. Our eyes remained locked in silent conversation as I raised my hips to draw him in and dug my fingers firmly into the small of his finely sculpted back. He groaned and pushed all the way, stretching and filling me so completely I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. He was much bigger than Ben, and his slow, steady rhythm was making me see stars.

"Oh, God!" I cried out, feeling my climax build with his every stroke. "I'm-" I raised my legs to take him in further on a new angle, and that found the spot. "Edward!" I shouted as I came undone.

With another thrust he gave a strangled moan as he also tipped over the edge. Panting, he slumped on top of me for a second, then raised himself slightly to begin covering my face in kisses.

"My angel, I lo-" He was interrupted by a bang on the wall.

"Bella! _Again_, for God's sake? Anyone would think he was in there with you!" Angela shouted from the next room. "Go to sleep!"

Edward opened his mouth to shout back, but I hushed him with a hand over his mouth. He saw that as an opportunity to suck my fingertips as I called back to my sister. "Sorry! Didn't mean to wake you!" I was trying not to giggle, but really I was as mortified as Edward looked. "How much do you think she heard?" I whispered.

"Not much, I don't think. I hope," he mock-grimaced.

"I'm going to have to remember to be quiet next time," I teased, scratching my fingernails down his back.

"Oh, really?" He rolled off me and lay at my side. "Actually, I want to make you scream louder next time." He smirked as my eyes grew wider. "But you're going to have to give me a minute."

Kissing my forehead, he rolled off the bed and padded, cupping himself, to my ensuite. I sighed as I watched his perfect form retreating. _If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up._

***

I must have fallen asleep because I woke with a start to find Edward propped up on one elbow beside me, smiling.

"Were you watching me?" I blushed.

"You look so beautiful when you're asleep."

"Why are you awake? You must be exhausted."

"I didn't dare. I don't want to be the guy who leaves in the middle of the night, but I can't be seen leaving here in the morning." He paused when he saw my face had fallen. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"To my place. You can scream all you like there."

***


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Apologies for not posting last week. Easter kind of got in the way, but I figured you all needed a week off to recover from Chapter 8! Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the p0rnfest – funny how many new readers I got after the last chapter went up *coughH00rs!cough***

**As always, huge kisses and hugs to debb24601, Whitbysucks/girlpower and FluffyLiz for their feedback and ideas on this one. Thanks also to Totoro who has validated my little story over at Twilighted, so all chapters are up over there now. Yay!**

**My story is also over at my own blog site - kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com – where it has all the pretty pix and music for each chapter, which are also up on my FF profile page. The song in this chapter is called "Just a Little Bit" by New Zealand band Kids of 88. Take a listen! **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them play on the piano. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 9**

EPOV

There is nothing like waking up with a beautiful angel naked by your side.

Her arms were flung out in complete ease and her hair fell all around her, over my pillows, just as I had imagined. She was still asleep, peaceful and trusting in a strange bed. I didn't want to wake her again. She'd had a long day yesterday, and having me show up on her doorstep in the middle of the night hadn't helped her get any rest.

Even though it was only 6.30am I felt incredible. All the tension had gone from my body because finally, after all this time, I had everything I ever wanted. I smiled to myself as I dressed in my brown suit. Before I put on my jacket I sat down at the desk in my bedroom and read a few of the documents I had been poring over last night before the phone rang.

That phone call had changed my life, and she had had the courage to make it. I really was a pussy. What had I been waiting for? I had been such an idiot to think she was with someone else, and my pride had got in the way.

I wanted to tell her I loved her – and I would have if her sister hadn't interrupted me. I wanted to pass it into law. Maybe I should make it the first order of business for the new Government when the House resumed: to pass the Prime Minister Loves Bella Swan Private Member's Bill. _She had loved my private member._ I found myself smirking. Oh, God, and how it felt to be inside her… that she had allowed me to… I firmed just thinking about it.

We had left her house stealthily just before 2am and it took the MG just minutes to get here through deserted streets. We kissed at traffic lights, in my parking garage and all the way up in the lift. The minute we got through the door we both saw the piano and had the same idea.

Bella had pulled on jeans and a T-shirt but teamed them with a pair of high-heeled black ankle boots that I found strangely erotic. They made her so much taller and easier to kiss. I had told her so as she was dressing, and she told me devilishly that that was one of the reasons she was wearing them. Driving to my place, all I could think about was the piano, and her boots. It seemed like she had had similar fantasies.

She grabbed me by my jacket lapels and pulled me towards the piano. Backing herself up against the curve, exactly where she had once been, she lifted her T-shirt over her head to reveal her magnificent bare breasts. She hadn't bothered putting on a bra; I had seen her put one in her handbag "for the morning," she had said. When she kicked off her boots I mourned their loss with a sigh, but I knew it would be awkward for her to strip and retain her balance in them. Undoing her jeans, she had pulled them down slowly, arching her back as she bent at the hips so I got a fantastic view. It almost looked as thought the piano was taking her from behind. I groaned and became incredibly hard.

"Put the boots back on," I ordered. She had met my gaze with dark eyes and without blinking said, "You put them on me". I knelt before her cautiously, my erection stretching my trouser seams almost to breaking point, and picked up the studded boots which looked like miniature leather jackets. I kissed the top of each foot in turn before sliding it in the boot and sliding up the zip. "Thank you, my prince," she whispered.

I stood up and quickly shed my clothes. Before dumping my trousers on the floor I removed the other condom Emmett had given me before we went to the airport. _God, had that only been 12 hours earlier? _It had felt like an eternity since then. Misunderstandings, despair, revelations, and finally this bliss. I had certainly run the gamut of emotions today; right then I was operating on lust. I made a mental note to get more condoms somehow. I would have to ask Emmett; I didn't think I could send Rose out to the chemist for them. _Could I?_

"What are you thinking?" Bella had asked, walking her fingers down my chest to my navel.

"I was thinking we would need more condoms. This is all I have for now." I'd sucked in a breath, and my stomach, as her fingers walked down the line of hair below my bellybutton and raked through the curls before cupping my balls.

"We'd better make this worthwhile, then." She had looked hungrily at my massive and persistent erection, then gave me a defiant look and pushed past me around to the piano stool. With a sudden flex of her long, heel-clad leg, she kicked over the heavy stool and half-sat with her pert bottom resting on the lid covering the keys. Spreading her legs, she leaned back and placed her arms wide on either side of her. Her face showed she was toying with me. Intrigued, I had walked around to stand between her legs, facing her. That little game had been an incredible turn-on.

"You said before that we wouldn't do anything I didn't want." She had avoided my gaze as she curled some chest hair around her index finger, but the tone of her voice made me shiver with anticipation.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Well, I want you to take me here." She said it slowly, seductively, catching my cock's attention.

We didn't need much foreplay. The whole night had been foreplay, the culmination of six years of lust and hope. I couldn't get the condom on quick enough.

I had to bend my knees to enter her, but I braced myself against the piano and lifted her up so she was sitting properly on the keyboard, with me taking most of her weight. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck as I slid into her warm, moist space. We had groaned in unison at the sheer perfection of our union. She surrounded me, smothered me, and I almost didn't want to move for fear of breaking our bond.

She had moved first, bringing her legs and those boots up to ensnare me, digging the heels into the backs of my thighs. The new angle plunged me in further, and then I knew I had to create that delicious friction. We were both panting, lips and hands desperate as I moved inside her. Unlike our first time, I couldn't take it slow. She was letting me into her body, into her life. Despite my exertions I couldn't help but break out into a huge smile. I was living my fantasy.

"Bella bambina…" I whispered, as that familiar feeling began to build deep in my stomach.

"Oh, God, Edward! Ughhh!" she cried out, her face contorting in pleasure.

That was enough to send me over the brink, too. Hearing my angel screaming my name as we came together was the best music my piano had ever made.

***

My stomach rumbled and I figured I could prepare us both breakfast. I had a bit of time before Emmett turned up. I wasn't sure what she'd like, so I settled on toast, cereal and fruit, and orange juice with a pot of tea. The clanking of the crockery on the tray as I carried it back to the bedroom stirred her from her slumber.

Blinking, she looked around, disorientated. "What time is it?"

"It's early. Sorry to wake you, but I have an early meeting. I've made you breakfast." She smiled widely as I handed her the juice.

"Thank you. That is so sweet."

"No, thank _you_," I whispered, smoothing her hair back from her face as she sipped. "Thank you for calling last night, thank you for letting me in, thank you for finding me when I was hiding in a hotel bar all those years ago." I took her free hand and with each vote of thanks I kissed a path from her knuckles to the inside of her wrist, to her elbow crease. She hummed in pleasure at my touch, and I smiled.

"But I need to thank you for rescuing me, for being so honest with me on the phone… and _you_ found _me_ at that bar. I was the angel in distress, remember?"

"Oh, I remember." I took the glass from her and placed it beside the bed. Cupping her face in my hands, I made sure she looked in my eyes when I made my confession. "You're all I've ever dreamed about since that night. All I ever wanted."

I kissed her with all the emotion I could, and when she curled her fingers in my hair I started to think maybe my meeting could wait. I was hard by the time I pulled away from her lips, and she seemed aware of my predicament.

"Sorry. I'll make you late if we keep _that_ up." She glanced at my groin and winked. "So, what's the prime minister doing today?"

"I'm finalising my Cabinet."

"Have you decided what portfolio you're keeping? You'd make an excellent Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defence, based on my rescue."

"I'm undecided. I'd much rather be Minister of Internal Affairs where you're concerned," I said huskily, running my hand up her thigh. She smiled as she watched my hand, then looked at me with an odd, far-away expression. _Was she fantasizing about me? About what we might do later?_ As if to confirm my suspicions, she wriggled and gave a small sigh. I smirked. "So what do you have planned for today?"

"I don't know. Jasper said I could have today off. I guess I should go home and do my laundry."

"You can stay here as long as you like. Actually-" I walked over to my desk and found the spare keys in a drawer. "I'd like you to have these."

She looked at the keys as I placed them in her hand, and then seemed to be searching my eyes for a hint of my intentions. I thought she was about to ask something, when Emmett's loud knock broke the mood.

"I have to go. Keep them, please?" I folded her fingers tightly around the keys and kissed her hand again.

***

Walking downstairs to the car, Emmett told me I looked different. I grinned at him and slapped him on the back, taking him slightly off guard. He looked puzzled.

"Thank you for your – um – protection," I said, quiet enough that Paul couldn't hear.

"It's my job, sir," he said, still puzzled.

"No, I mean the _other_ protection. That you gave me yesterday on the way to the airport."

"Oh! But I thought that didn't work out?"

I grinned. "Something happened after you left me last night. She called. We… we're together."

"Congratulations, sir." He seemed genuinely pleased. And relieved.

"Um, she's still here… upstairs. Would you be able to make sure she gets home safely? I can't ask anyone else."

Emmett nodded and made an excuse to his partner so he could stay behind. Paul and I continued on to Parliament in silence.

***

When I got home that night, the apartment was empty. I fixed myself a snack and sat down to tackle the papers in my red box, when I saw a text message had arrived some hours earlier.

**Mortified 2 find policeman at door! U shd gv Emmett pay rise. From yr own pocket.**

I smiled, and replied: **Just got home. Miss you. Wish u were here now.**

It took only a second for her to respond. She was up late. **Emmett's rise?**

**Of course. When can I c u?**

**I'm bk 2 wk 2moro. Will c u then.**

That sounded a bit formal. _Did I do something wrong?_ I decided to end the text exchange and just call her.

"Are we OK?" I asked hurriedly once she answered.

"Why do you ask?"

"Your text sounded – formal. Like you just wanted to see me at work and that's all."

"Baby, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you have a lot of work to do and I need to get some sleep. We both have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. You're being sworn in."

"Good," I sighed. "It will be a big day. I hope you're there to share it with me."

"I have to see Jasper first thing, but I hope so, too."

"You looked lovely in the paper today."

"Thank you. So did you."

We fell silent, listening to each other breathing. I wanted to ask her what she was wearing, but I could almost picture her rolling her eyes at me.

"I feel like a teenager, not wanting to hang up first," she finally said.

"Mmm, I know." I paused, then had a sudden thought. "Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Did you just call me 'baby'?"

"Maybe…" she teased. "You call me 'bambina'."

"I like it. I want to hear you say it again."

"What, like 'oh, baby, don't stop'?" she whispered.

"Mmm," I groaned, and she giggled. That sound was another thing I was going to have to pass into law.

***

The next day I was tense again. I had slept fitfully, mainly due to Bella's absence. She had only been in my bed half a night and already the void she left was obvious. I hoped I would get a chance to see her today.

Dressed in my best dark suit, I met my new Cabinet at Government House for the official swearing-in by the Governor-General. Being the Queen's official residence in New Zealand, Government House was opulent and reminded me of the similarly grand house I was meant to be moving into next week. Now I wasn't sure I wanted to move. My apartment felt like the home I should share with Bella; I couldn't see her easily at Premier House with all its staff and security. Perhaps I would just have to live a double life – many politicians did.

The media were out in force to cover the ceremony, and I scanned the crowd to see if I could see her. Alice was here, and all the other usual suspects, but no Bella. My heart sank. I had really wanted her to share this historic moment with me.

Putting my disappointment aside, I signed my warrant and listened to a speech by the Governor-General before giving my own. It was only when we lined up for a group photograph that I saw her, standing a little way back from the others by the French doors. She had her notepad but she hadn't taken any notes again, I noticed. Instead, she was beaming at me, delighted at my success. The light through the door was casting her in a golden halo, making my angel look even more ethereal. New heads of state usually looked pretty pleased with themselves, but in that photograph I truly looked like the cat that got the cream.

Formalities over, I was bombarded with questions from Bella's colleagues about my Cabinet choices, and particularly my decision to keep the foreign affairs portfolio for myself. Bella wasn't among my questioners, but I still answered with a smile. "I've had some recent experience in diplomacy and I think that went OK."

"Sure did," a man's voice said, and I looked across to see Bella's photographer, Eric, putting down his camera. "Thanks, mate. Good job." He extended his hand and I shook it. The other cameras blazed, and I took a step back from all the flashbulbs, bumping into someone in the process. I turned to stop the person from falling and apologise.

"I'm so sorry- oh!" Bella looked up at me as I grabbed her by the waist and elbow. "Hello, Ms Swan. Are you alright?"

"Yes, thank you. Congratulations, sir." She smiled, and gave me a look that said so much more. _She was proud of me, maybe even loved me…_ I hoped that was true.

I was still aware the cameras were snapping my loss of balance, so I reluctantly removed my hand from Bella's waist. "Thank you. Did you get a new job today, too?"

"Yep, you're now looking at the Chronicle's new political editor."

"Congratulations. Well deserved." My words were for public consumption. My eyes were telling her just how I wanted to celebrate our promotions. My dick was also keen to get in on the act, but he would have to wait.

"Hopefully it won't mean longer hours." She was trying to sound conversational, but I could hear her hidden meaning. "I might even find time to try the new Beehive gym before I go home to the apartment." _Ah, but you don't live in an apartment, Ms Swan. Not yet, anyway, but you do have the key to one._ My dick twitched in anticipation of the evening ahead.

"I might have to start frequenting the gym myself. Starting to get a bit, ah…" I patted my firm abs. "You know, corporate catering."

Bella's eyes lingered on mine for what a keen observer would have taken to be a beat too long, but in doing so she ensured we had both received the message. We would meet at the parliamentary gym and quietly go home together to my place. The smile I produced for the cameras moments later was genuinely broad as my heart soared.

Lunch with the Governor-General was followed by a photo opportunity with the new Cabinet back at the Beehive – which Bella delegated to Alice – and then an afternoon of paperwork in my office. Alistair was keen for me to open a new sports stadium in Dunedin so we discussed logistics, and Rose had arranged some magazine interviews for me.

By 5pm I'd had enough of waiting. "We've been cooped up in this office for days, it seems like," I told my staff. "You should all go home. Emmett, how about we hit the gym?"

I caught what I thought was an apologetic glance at Rose, before Emmett nodded. "We won't be long, if you have plans," I said quietly to him. "Maybe she'll wait – or you could ask her to come with us?"

Emmett grinned at the possibility of showing off his muscles in front of Rose, and I saw her face light up when he asked her along. Both of them jogged alone in their lunch hours so I knew they had gym gear with them. They spoke in whispers but their body language was clear: it looked like my sister had a crush on my new best friend.

Rose pushed Emmett's shoulder playfully and I heard her say, "As if you could outrun me!" He looked down at her, his face full of cheeky dimples. "As if you could fight me off!"

Smiling, I shook my head at my own stupidity. Of course the two of them were perfect for each other; I should have got them together sooner. _What a pity I had used up Emmett's emergency condom supply_. Heaven knew how long those two sheaths had been in his pocket, and just when he got a chance to use one, he had had to give them to his boss. I hoped he had replenished his supplies.

The two of them were uncomfortably silent as we walked out together. I had never seen Rose so shy. Feeling like a teenager again, I smirked all the way to the underground gym.

On arrival, I was surprised by the loud music coming from inside. Usually the only sounds came from physical activity and television news bulletins. Entering the gym, we saw who had altered the routine. Bella and Alice were working out on adjacent elliptical trainers, and had changed the televisions on the wall to the music channel. The song that was playing had rather suggestive lyrics.

I knew I shouldn't be openly ogling her, but I couldn't help it. She was magnificent, dressed in a tight-fitting ice blue tank top and black leggings which stopped just past her knees. Her skin glistened with a thin sheen of sweat, her mouth slightly open as she ran on the machine. She was in her own little world, eyes closed, singing along to the sexy music.

"_Lookin' so good when your hair is a mess_

_I'm tearing the buttons right off of your dress_

_Workin' you overtime I'm getting' you over the line_

_I'm climbing your ladder and makin' you better 'cos it's what you need_"

The effect she was having on me would have been obvious to anyone, but thankfully the gym was nearly empty and Rose and Emmett had already walked off to the changing rooms.

When the chorus urged me to "get unprofessional" I cleared my throat and glanced around the room. Then I saw him, glaring at me from under some heavy weights. That little creep Jacob Black had seen me watching Bella, and he looked like he would burst if he didn't tell someone. _Fuck._

***


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Apologies to you all – it looks like my weekly posting schedule has now turned into a fortnightly one. We're getting to the meaty end of the story now, which takes a little bit more thought on my part and a bit more reading for my betas, so hopefully the wait will be worth it. There will probably be only 15 chapters in all, so be prepared!**

**This chapter is quite long, and mentions some terms which may need explaining. The red box is the box of papers ministers bring home each night as "homework", and Parliament's forecourt is the paved area outside by the flagpole, where people often assemble for rallies or parades. I'll have the usual pic and music links on my profile page and also at my blog site - kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com.**

**Thanks to everyone still reading and reviewing. Smooches to debb24601, Whitbysucks/girlpower and FluffyLiz for their love and support, and to Totoro over at Twilighted. I couldn't do it without you guys.**

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them sit in the Speaker's chair. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

* * *

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 10**

BPOV

"Bella!" Alice hissed, thumping my arm and causing me to stumble on my elliptical trainer. My eyes flew open and I stopped singing.

"What the fuck? I was really enjoying that song," I glared at her.

"Sshh!" She nodded her head towards the door and I turned to follow her gaze. On seeing Edward I was about to smile, when I noticed Jacob Black scowling at him.

"Shit," I said under my breath. Black looked at Alice and me, then back at Edward, and my stomach lurched. "Oh, shit."

"Bells? What's going on?" Alice whispered.

"Nothing good now," I whispered back. Edward's face was reddening, and although they were half a gym apart I knew he could feel Black's hands around his neck. I could feel them around my neck, too.

Suddenly, Edward turned and stormed out of the gym. Black looked back at me and started to walk over when Emmett came out of the men's changing room in a singlet and rugby shorts. He looked around, puzzled.

"Where did he go?" Without a word, Alice and I pointed to the door, and he rushed out after his boss. "Bollocks," we heard him say as he rushed down the corridor. It would have been funny if I hadn't been so worried.

"Did you see that?" Black asked, as he approached us. "Did you see Masen staring at you?"

Alice giggled, but the warning look I shot her told her not to give my secret away with involuntary responses.

"I'm sure you're mistaken," I said. "He was probably glaring at us for turning off the TV news."

Black look skeptical, but Alice's nodding caused him to pause and consider my suggestion.

Jacob Black was one of those muscle-bound jocks whose every thought was played out over his face. Not especially bright, he had been placed on his party's candidate list by his nepotistic father. For the last three years he had led a charmed life on the government backbenches, living well with his dad at Premier House at the taxpayers' expense. With his father now ousted by Edward, Jacob had to find a new place to live, and he had told me he had made it his new hobby to discredit Edward by whatever means necessary. He trusted me after my close work with his father on past election campaigns. Little did he know I had slept with the enemy, and planned to do it again. But, after this, perhaps not tonight.

Black was still mulling it over when Rosalie appeared from the women's changing room, looking glamorous in a plum-coloured lycra T-shirt and leggings. She had swept her hair up in a high ponytail and had reapplied her makeup. _Intriguing._ She looked around the near-empty gym, and her face fell.

I had seen her come in with Edward, and a pang of jealousy stabbed my stomach. _Not Rose_. He considered her like a sister, but maybe she felt something more.

Taking a shaky breath, I called her name and gestured her over to us. She smiled weakly and approached, which Black thankfully took as his dismissal. Without another word he went back to the weights and started packing up his gear. He hadn't really bought our story, but for now he was off my back. Edward and I would have to watch out for him. He was like a dog with a bone. And I didn't want anyone gnawing on Edward's bone except me.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Alice asked. I switched my attention to the attractive blonde now nervously picking at the bottom of her shirt.

"I was meant to be with Emmett – you know, the DPS guy – we were going for a drink but then Pantydropper asked him to work out and we all came down here, but… they've both abandoned me!"

The jealous pang in my stomach was replaced by a guilty one. "Oh!" _Did I just sound relieved? That was probably inappropriate. _Quickly, I covered my faux pas. "Pantydropper left suddenly and Emmett had to go after him. He's probably coming back – he left his suit and things in the changing room."

She cheered up a bit, and we resumed our workouts, with Rose joining us on the nearby treadmill. After half an hour, though, there were no signs of our men.

"I have a feeling whatever was going to happen tonight isn't going to." Alice shot a look at me as she spoke. "So, let's go to the pub."

The three of us showered and changed, then walked across the road to The Backbencher. The pub was famous for its Spitting Image-style latex puppets of political leaders, and I noted Edward's now had pride of place above the bar. His effigy had an overabundance of hair, and was surrounded by what looked like screaming girls. I chuckled and pointed it out to my friends.

"And look, that bloke at the back is throwing his undies at him!" Alice guffawed. Sure enough, she was right. _Maybe it's a good thing lots of people think he's gay._

We ordered mojitos and found a table in the corner. We hadn't been sitting down long when two scruffy students wearing plaid walked over and spoke to Rose.

"Hey, dollface, don't I know you from my global politics class?" the less attractive of the two said. "Wanna make out?"

"I'd honestly prefer to be sodomised with a toothbrush," she replied with a straight face.

Alice and I tried to contain our laughter as the two boys walked away. I heard the cuter one say, "I told you not to call her dollface".

"Feel better now?" I asked Rose, who was having a good laugh.

"A bit. I was just really looking forward to a night out. We've been working so hard."

"Well, now you're having a night out with us," Alice said, smiling kindly.

My phone beeped to say I had a text message. It was from Edward.

**Where r u?**

**Backbencher. Drowning Rose's sorrows.**

**Oh, God. Sorry. I'm home now. Em's gone. Will tell him where u r.**

**Ta.**

Alice raised her eyebrows at me, and I hoped she wouldn't say anything in front of Rose. I hadn't told her everything about my night with Edward, but she knew I had called him and had made assumptions about the rest, most of which had been accurate. She leaned over to Rose and stage-whispered, "Bells has a new boyfriend, too. I think he ditched her tonight as well".

I made a face at Alice as Rose made sympathetic noises. Then another text arrived.

**Em on his way. Can u come here?**

I stifled a giggle as I replied: **U can make me cum any time, anywhere.**

**I want you. Right now.**

My gasp made Alice and Rose look at me, and I blushed.

"Booty text," Ali whispered.

I rolled my eyes and looked at her thoughtfully. "But I can't leave my girls hanging. Hoes before bros?" I asked, unsure. They nodded eagerly and went to the bar to get more drinks as I replied to Edward.

**Black scared me tonight. Maybe we shouldn't.**

**What did he do? I'll kill him.**

**Nothing. Just think we shld b more careful.**

**So, tonight? Yes or no?**

**Not tonight. Not never, just not tonight. Sorry. My girls need me.**

**Talk 2 u later?**

**Will ph when I get home. **

**I'll be waiting. Miss you.**

**Miss u 2. **

I sighed when I put my phone away, and gave Alice a wistful look. I needed to talk it out with her, but not with Rose here.

As it turned out, our "hoes before bros" pact was easily broken by the arrival of Emmett, back in his suit and bearing flowers. He had made dinner reservations, and Rose was overwhelmed. After a couple of mojitos she was easy to persuade.

As they were leaving, Emmett whispered in my ear. "Thank you. He's… really happy now."

I took his hand and squeezed it, smiling. "You have a lot to do with that, too. He needs a good friend," I whispered, as Rose said her goodbyes to Alice.

"I guess you're going to leave me now, too?" Alice asked after they'd gone.

"Nah. Jacob Black really worried me. That was too close for my liking."

"You're not getting cold feet, surely? You finally have a chance at everything you've ever wanted… well, you haven't actually told me yet but I assume that's how it's going."

"Yeah. He wants me, I want him, but… I've just got this promotion and we'd have to be so careful no one would see us. Kind of takes the fun out of it."

"Is your job so important to you? More important than a chance at happiness?" Ali almost looked angry at me.

I was silent. I had invested so much in my job in the past because my home life was so unhappy. It was a habit.

"Bells, I dunno, honey. If I were you, I would be grabbing that fine arse with both hands, and to hell with anything else." Alice took my hand across the table. "He's not Ben. He's… Bizarro Ben, anti-Ben, polar opposites. He won't hurt you. He would never hurt you." She smiled wickedly. "Unless you like it rough. I bet he's fantastic…" She sighed and I giggled.

Leaning forward, I gestured for her to let me whisper in her ear. "If I had my way, I would spend the majority of my time fucking Edward."

***

It was late by the time Ali and I rolled out of the pub and shared a cab home. I considered telling the driver to take me to Oriental Bay when he dropped Alice off, but I knew I was too drunk to have the conversation I wanted to have with Edward.

When I got home, Angela and Renee were already in bed. I made a sandwich and took it up to my room, where I cleaned up and changed into my nightie. Propped up in bed with my now empty plate beside me, I dialed Edward's number. He answered on the first ring.

"Hi."

"Hi. Sorry it's so late. Ali and I had a lot to talk about."

"I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall for that."

"You were on the wall. It was weird." I described his latex effigy, and he laughed.

"No groupies here tonight. I'm all alone with my red box."

"Me, too," I purred suggestively. My sandwich was doing very little to mop up the effect of too many mojitos. Edward didn't seem to mind, though. I heard him gasp.

"Are you in bed?"

"Uh-huh."

"What are you wearing?"

I giggled. "Did you really just ask me that? My blue nightie, if you must know."

He groaned. "Can I come over?"

"As much as I'd love a repeat of the other night – and God, would I – I think we'd maybe better keep this on the down low for a bit. Whatever this is."

"What do you think it is?" He sounded serious.

"I'm not sure. I think it's the best thing that's ever happened to me, after my kids. But if it's too hard for us to manage, then it was the best one night stand ever."

"I don't want it to just be that. I think we belong together."

"You hardly know me. But I'd like us to get to know each other properly. Just out of the public eye, if we can."

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed. "I'm just a little bit annoyed, a little bit frustrated… Damn Jacob Black!"

"Well, it was only a matter of time before someone saw us."

"It still bothers me I can't be with you tonight."

"There'll be other nights for you to work your pantydropping magic. Lots of nights, I hope."

He chuckled at my use of his nickname. "I know it was you who started that."

"Trust me, it's an accurate description of the effect you have on women. And some men."

"There's only one person's panties I want to see on the floor."

"They're already off." I heard him suck in a breath, and I wondered if he was touching himself. "What are _you_ wearing?"

"My undies dropped when you mentioned your red box. I have some cream you can rub on it if it's aching," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Mmm, rubbing is good."

"You have no idea."

***

The next few days were busy for Edward and we hardly had time for a proper talk. He had engagements in Cambridge, business breakfasts in Auckland, and spent the weekend in Dunedin, where a streaker at the cricket game he attended made headlines for trying to get him to autograph her breasts. She came close, but was tackled by Emmett and Paul, who copped a feel instead. _Nice try, sweetie, but the Pantydropper only has eyes for my girls_. The Chronicle's tight budget meant I stayed in Wellington and assigned local reporters to cover his movements. If the Opposition had any dirt to dish it was keeping quiet for now. Edward and I spoke on the phone or sent texts most nights, but mostly we just flirted. I wanted to wait to have a serious talk with him in person about our relationship.

The following week, Parliament resumed. The movers had done their jobs, and Edward was officially resident at Premier House and the ninth floor of the Beehive. He gave a magnificent speech at the opening of Parliament, glancing often at me in the gallery above. I did my usual trick of being so mesmerized I forgot to take notes, so Alice wrote the story. If I wasn't careful I would lose my job for incompetence – although that _would_ help with my relationship with Edward.

With the House sitting, we both had to work late nights, so he and I started texting at work. I delighted in making him blush by sending him sexy messages while he was in the debating chamber, even getting him told off by the Speaker for giggling. That incident made headlines for my colleagues, who speculated wildly about who he was messaging. No one had any idea, and for that I was grateful. Some of the suggestions were interesting, though, prompting me to text:

**Looks like I'm going 2 hv 2 do u outside on the forecourt so ppl will believe u r straight.**

**Stop. Not allowed 2 giggle or get stiffy in House. Speaker's orders.**

I laughed, then my phone beeped again.

**So is that a date? I can be outside in 5.**

***

The House traditionally sat for two weeks at the beginning of December, and after the last session the gallery always hosted its notorious Christmas party. When Esme and I had worked here in the 1990s, the Christmas parties were debauched affairs which usually culminated in someone being caught having sex in the Speaker's chair with one of their co-workers. In the last few years things had changed and the party was now a friendly barbecue, usually held in the alleyway between the Beehive and Parliament Buildings. This year, though, it was raining, so the party was being held in the Beehive's Great Hall.

As well as journalists and MPs, the guests included government department heads and local business leaders. Alice and I had agreed to rescue each other from anyone too boring, and so far it was working well. I had chatted with Carlisle, Esme and Jasper, and had had a few too many vodkas by the time I decided to hit the dance floor with Alice. We were boogying to the Black Seeds' "Cool Me Down" when there was a commotion at the door. I looked at Alice, and then saw Emmett leading Edward through the crowd. He looked like a sex god in a white shirt, grey trousers and a plaid tie loosened at his neck. His hair was a little damp from the rain.

"Jeez, the PM never comes to this thing," Alice said as she came closer.

"Looks like he's breaking all the rules now." Acting nonchalant, I continued to dance, and a quick glance across the room told me my moves were being appreciated by the new PM.

Carlisle had clearly had a few to drink because a short time later he shouted at Edward to play us something on the piano. Edward was mingling and had not drunk much, but nevertheless agreed reluctantly. My stomach in butterflies, I joined the others around the grand piano as he sat down and paused in thought.

"I'm a bit rusty, but here goes. It's an oldie, but most of you should know it. "Into Temptation" by Crowded House."

I held my breath. He was singing to me again.

"_You opened up your door_

_I couldn't believe my luck_

_You in your new blue dress_

_Takin' away my breath…"_

I looked down, remembering his hands removing my blue nightgown, and blushed. I hoped no one noticed.

Alice leaned over and whispered in my ear. "Do you hear that?"

I listened, and could hear sighing and mild groaning from the audience.

"It's the sound of 100 women losing their panties," she giggled. I laughed, too, and Edward looked across at us. He smiled, and my panties combusted along with everyone else's.

When he finished and we all applauded, he modestly announced he would have to ring Neil Finn straight away to apologise. My phone rang, and everyone turned to look at me.

"Hello?"

"Ms Swan, it's Emmett McCarty."

I looked around. Emmett was nowhere to be seen, but Edward was clearly visible, talking to a group of people gathered around the piano. _Clever. A diversion._

"Hi. What can I do for you?" I said casually, so as not to alert anyone who might overhear.

"Mr Masen would like to meet you in the debating chamber in five minutes."

"Oh, OK. Thank you." I looked around. No one was interested in my call any more, thankfully. I knew I was still blushing. I told Alice I had to pop out for a minute and assured her I would be back. She was talking to Jasper, so I knew she wouldn't miss me. I passed Emmett returning to the party as I was leaving, but he didn't acknowledge me. He seemed intent on finding Rose while his boss was otherwise engaged.

The debating chamber was eerily silent. I looked up at the gallery and the TV cameras, and hoped they were turned off. For old times' sake, I walked up to the front of the House and sat down in the Speaker's chair.

"Why, Ms Swan, you look right at home up there." Edward entered through the Ayes lobby, grinning broadly. "But your feet don't touch the floor."

"_Into Temptation_? Really?" I teased back, raising my eyebrows as he strode towards me.

"Well, this dress isn't the same one I was thinking about, but it'll still look lovely on this carpet."

I gasped as his words registered in my ovaries and I remembered what he had done to me after I opened my door in my nightie.

"If I asked you to do something, would you trust me?" he asked, earnestly. I nodded.

"Then, take off your dress," he ordered, stepping up in front of me.

"Yes, Prime Minister." I bent forward to whisper, "Are those cameras off? They'd better be".

He nodded. "Emmett took care of it."

I started to unzip, then froze. "Or do you want to do this part?"

He licked his lips, and let his eyes travel the length of my body. When they returned to my eyes they were dark with lust. "Do you mind if it gets ripped?"

"I do, actually. I have to go back out there."

"Hmm. OK, I'll try to be gentle. But those shoes stay on." He pointed to my electric blue heels with the ribbons that were my favourites.

"Deal."

He worked slowly and methodically, peeling off my layers until I was bare in front of him, except for my heels. He sucked in a breath as he appraised my body, which was starting to goosepimple.

"I've missed you," he whispered into my hair. "So much."

I let out a shaky breath as his hands lit fires all over me. "I missed you, too."

His left hand stopped at the small of my back and he pulled me close. "You don't know what you do to me. It's so hard to concentrate. I just want to touch you here-" His right hand brushed my cheek. "And here." It moved down slowly to grasp my left breast, his thumb dragging over my nipple and causing my knees to weaken. "And here." The hand grazed down my ribs and hips before stopping between my legs.

"Mmm," he groaned. "So ready for me."

My eyes darted to the doors as I let his fingers enter me. If we were discovered now there would be no chance of talking our way out.

"Baby, are you sure no one's going to come?" My voice was timid.

"Oh, they're going to cum all right," he growled. "This place echoes, though, so you might want to save the screaming till we get home."

His thumb found my clit and within seconds I was repeating his name in a low chant. He kissed a line from my jaw up to my earlobe and, as his tongue found the spot just below my ear, his fingers worked their magic and I came undone. I buried my face in his shirt to muffle my sounds, and inhaled deeply, knowing his scent would calm me down.

"That doesn't count," I said after a moment, and he frowned. "The Speaker's chair. We're standing up, not sitting in it. It doesn't count."

The worried crease above his nose lightened. "Ah, true. What shall we do about that?" I grabbed his belt buckle and began unfastening. "Why, Ms Swan, I do believe you are only interested in my huge majority," he smirked.

"It is impressive," I said, as I uncovered him fully, pushing his trousers and briefs to the floor. "You have such _firm_ support." I gripped his shaft and began stroking. "From north to south."

Edward whimpered and started unbuttoning his shirt. "Bella, it's been a couple of weeks. I'm not going to last long if you keep doing that."

"You'd better sit down, then."

He sat in the Speaker's chair, naked and breathing heavily. It was hard to believe someone so beautiful could be real, and that he could possibly want me.

I straddled his lap, thankful the chair was wide enough and that I wasn't spiking myself in the bottom with my heels. He grabbed my breasts with both hands, then paused as he felt me lining him up at my entrance.

"Wait, I have a condom in my pocket-"

"It's OK, I'm back on the Pill. I went to the doctor the day after we… ah…"

His eyes lit up as he realised how much of a commitment I was making to him. "It's safe?"

"Yeah. I want to feel you." I buried my fingers in his hair and kissed him passionately.

He groaned in my mouth and muttered, "Fuck", before pulling away and kissing my breasts. I lifted myself slightly and sunk down over him slowly, taking him in impossibly far. Edward looked up at me, panting. "Fuck, Bella, you feel amazing."

I arched my back, shoving my boobs further in his face as I picked up a rhythm. He filled me so completely. _Not just sexually._

"Oh, God! Ugh!" My toes curled in my expensive shoes as stars exploded behind my tightly clenched eyes. Edward gave another thrust and muttered, "Christ!" before he, too, was undone.

Panting, I opened my eyes to see Edward kissing both my breasts again. He looked up at me with such adoration. "Thank you." I felt sure he was about to say something more, when we were both startled by a noise from the gallery above. The floor had creaked. Instead of a declaration of love, Edward whispered urgently, "Get dressed, quickly!"

I eased off him, not wanting my body to be free of him yet. I moaned at the loss, and at the trickling feeling down my leg. Edward gave me a look that said he understood the loss, but his quick glance up to the gallery reminded me of our need for haste.

We dressed quickly and made our retreat through the Noes lobby. I needed to freshen up so I told Edward that I would be back in a moment. When I came out of the bathroom, I was sad but not surprised to see he had gone.

***


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you for sticking around to see this chapter appear. It turned out to be hard to write and quite long. Yes, long and hard. I hope you all like it like that.**

**Since I last posted, the lovely DreamySim has made me a gorgeous banner, which is now up on Twilighted and at my blog -kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com. She is so talented and I can't thank her enough *mwah!***

**Fellow Kiwi Blackrose26 – who may or may not have been the inspiration for my Dunedin streaker in the last chapter *wink* – has written a streaker POV which is hilarious. You can read it at her blog – justanothernutter(dot)wordpress(dot)com/2010/05/08/hello-world/ **

**Some notes on this chapter: the song from "Love, Actually" is "Too Lost in You" by the Sugababes. A link to the video will be on my profile and blog. Christmas in New Zealand is in summer, but we still often cook a large hot meal in the middle of the day. A pavlova – arguably New Zealand's national dessert - is a large meringue, hard on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle, usually covered in whipped cream and fruit. It is yummy. "King Dick" Seddon was New Zealand's longest-serving prime minister, from 1893-1906. In the next chapter we'll see how hard Bella was working during this lead-up to Christmas. **

**Smooches to debb24601, Whitbysucks/girlpower and FluffyLiz for their love and support, and to Totoro over at Twilighted. You are the wind beneath my wings.**

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 11**

EPOV

I was waiting for Bella to come out of the ladies' room when Emmett came rushing up to me.

"Paul's looking for you. The Aussie prime minister's on the phone and you must have your cell switched off."

I reached into my pocket and turned my phone back on. I hadn't wanted to be disturbed while I was with Bella. Not even for a foreign head of state.

"You'd better go, sir."

I hesitated, looking between Emmett and the bathroom door, before nodding and following him out. I wanted to get him to check who might have been up in the gallery, but that would have to wait. We used the back entrance to return to the Beehive without meeting any partygoers, then took the lift to my office. Alastair was pacing, looking anxious.

"There you are! He's on hold."

After a brief conversation, I hung up the phone. My mind was filled with the possibilities his call had brought, so I wasn't really listening as Alastair droned on at me. Instead, I walked out onto my balcony and surveyed the city. I didn't care I was getting wet from the rain.

"Go home, Alastair. Siobhan will be wondering where you are. I have a call I want to make, then I'll be heading home, too," I said, without even looking back at him.

"Yes, sir."

I waited until I heard him leave before I dialed her number.

"Bella?"

"What happened? Where are you? You left me in the loo!"

"I'm sorry. While I was waiting Em came to get me. I had to take an important call. Are you still at the party?"

"Yeah, the whole thing's winding down. Jessica's hanging on, though; I think she's trying to figure out who people are leaving with. Looks like Alice and Jazz might be heading off together," she snickered.

"He's your boss, isn't he?"

"Yep. Ali's had a thing for him for ages. I'm surprised at him, though. He's usually the first to lecture about dipping your pen in the company ink."

"We share a workplace," I pointed out.

"Mmm, but you're not my boss. You're the enemy… although there does appear to have been some sort of détente."

"Does that mean you're free to come up here and check out my new balcony?" I asked, hopeful of a repeat performance of the debating chamber.

"Haven't you had enough sex in public places?" she whispered. "I have a better idea."

After hearing her plan and hanging up, I stayed in my office to write myself a note regarding my Australian invitation. Bella wasn't the only one to have a sneaky plan.

I didn't want to inconvenience Emmett any more tonight, seeing he was doing so well with Rose, so I asked Paul to accompany me back to my apartment. At my front door he checked the lock was secure and stepped aside for me to use my key. I didn't want him to see what awaited me, so I quickly dismissed him before opening the door. Reluctantly, he agreed and wished me goodnight.

I opened the door to the sounds of food preparation in the kitchen. Bella had apparently stopped at the supermarket on her way here and was preparing steak and salad. I walked up behind her and spooned her to me.

"Now this is what I like to come home to."

"The little wifey in the kitchen? Oh, puh-leese!" She turned and rolled her eyes at me.

"Did anyone see you come in?" I asked.

"No. I made the taxi stop a block up the road and walked the rest of the way. I'm pretty sure no one saw me."

"In the rain? Oh, Bella, I'm sorry to have to make you do that." I pulled her close again and kissed her.

"It's OK. It's kind of exciting, all this cloak and dagger stuff. Shame about my shoes, though." Her smile faded as she looked at her bedraggled heels, which she had kicked off casually into a corner. As I looked at her wet shoes, her eyes wandered past me to the red dispatch box I had brought home and dumped on the side table. "Do you have much work to do tonight?"

"Not really. A little bit, it can wait."

"Good." She moved back around the counter and returned to her preparations. I watched as she made our meals, and within minutes we were sitting at my little-used dining room table. She had bought a Marlborough pinot noir – a label I recognised from my campaign visit to Blenheim – and I poured us both a glass. I put "Woodface" on in the background, and she nodded her approval.

Over dinner we talked about everything, and I realised this was our first proper conversation since that night at Caius' restaurant so long ago. Maybe we could only talk when "Woodface" was playing.

Bella talked about her children, her sister's blossoming relationship with that loud-mouthed photographer, and about Alice and Jasper. I talked about work, the new management at the family furniture factory, and Emmett and Rose.

Charlie's class was graduating from Police College next week, and on Boxing Day he would be travelling north to work as a constable in South Auckland. Bella was pleased for him, but understandably worried about the perils of the job.

"Carlisle's the patron of his wing," she smiled. "He'll get to give the graduation speech and hand out the prizes. It's nice that it's someone Charlie knows. It makes it even more special."

"Is Charlie up for a prize?" I asked, a plot already hatching in my mind.

"He hasn't said much, but I know he did really well on the gun range."

"I'd better mind my Ps and Qs around his mother, then," I laughed. "So, what's Renee up to for the holidays?"

"She's got a job at a clothing store for the summer, until varsity starts, but she wants to spend New Year in Sydney with her old friends." She pursed her lips, and I resisted the urge to lean forward and smooth them out with my thumb. "She's 17. I guess staying at home with her mum is unbearable."

"Her mother might have other plans," I said, and she raised her eyebrows. I tapped the side of my nose, knowingly, and she huffed.

"Ange will probably be out with Eric… What are you doing for Christmas?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject.

"I usually spend it with Carlisle and Esme. I have done the last few years, anyway, since… um, since Dad…"

"I'm sorry. It must be hard for you now, with no family. I'm so lucky to have Ange and the kids."

I smiled and took her hand across the table. "I have you. You're all I need."

She pulled her hand back. "See, that's what I don't really understand. It doesn't make sense for you to love me. We hardly know each other." She was still smiling, but I could tell she was voicing her real concern: that this was all a pretense. "I know why I want to be with you. You're gorgeous and funny and smart and kind… and you have quite a good job. You care about people and you want to help them. What I don't understand is why you want me. Am I like a charity case?"

"God, no! How could you think that?" I reached for her hand back, and grasped more firmly so she couldn't withdraw it. Avoiding her eyes, I stared at her palm and began drawing circles on it with my thumb. "You mentioned family. As you know, my mum died when I was 17." I glanced up and she nodded solemnly. I looked back down at her hand. "We were very close, and we had a long talk just before she died about the kind of man she wanted me to become. I have always tried to live up to her expectations."

I glanced up at Bella and saw she was tearing up. "Before she died she told me that one day I would find the woman I wanted to be with for the rest of my life, that I would know as soon as I saw her because she would move me. The night we met I was hiding. I was going to chicken out of running for Parliament. But you showed up, and restored my confidence in myself." I smiled at her astonished face.

"I'm a fairly simple man, with simple needs and wants. I guess I've never been what you would call a 'player'. Women approach me all the time, but no one has ever captivated me like you did. I felt instantly attracted to you, like you were my own personal brand of heroin. 'Homebake', home-baked just for me. I want to be with you because I don't see any point in waiting any longer for something I know I want and am going to have."

"But I didn't do anything, and surely I shattered all that confidence by running off?"

"I don't know. That just made me more intrigued by you." I brought her hand up to my lips and gently kissed each knuckle. "When you go to bed with someone you give away more than just sex. I waited to find someone I wanted to share that special intimacy with."

"So you haven't been with anyone since you first met me?" Bella sounded incredulous.

"I haven't been with anyone really since I was 17. There were a few girls I went out with, but I saw them more as friends and they soon got tired of waiting for me to make a move. The last one was when I was in London." I smiled and looked her in the eye. "Mum told me to wait for the right one. You are her."

Bella shook her head in disbelief and looked away. I appeared to have made her uncomfortable. "Alice likes you," she said eventually, in what I assumed was an attempt to lighten the mood.

"That's nice. But I don't want her," I smiled.

"She thinks you'll be good for me… because you're not like Ben." She suddenly seemed interested in the pattern on her empty plate.

I bristled when she said his name. I didn't know him from a bar of soap but I knew I didn't like him.

"He hurt you, Bella. He left you emotionally almost the minute you got together, from what Esme has told me. I would never do that. I don't ever want to leave your side." _I love you._

"You're perfect, everything I've ever wanted… but I'm damaged. I don't know how to do this right, but I hope you will be patient with me until I can sort myself out," she said.

"Is it your job that's worrying you? 'Cos I'm not worried. You're one of the most accurate and impartial reporters I know. I doubt I could influence you in any way."

She smiled at the compliment. "Yeah, my job is a factor. Ben never hit me or anything like that, but he did shatter my self-belief. I work because it's the only thing I know how to do. He told me I was useless at everything else. So I worked to get away from him, to prove him wrong, and now I do it to provide for my kids. Charlie doesn't need me any more, but I've got to put Renee through university. And I'm afraid that without my job, I'm nothing."

"That's not true. You mean so much to me." _Everything_. "I want to help you see how fantastic you are."

Before I completely declared my love and caused her to run screaming for the door, I kissed her palm sweetly and stood up to begin clearing our plates. Bella looked at me oddly, like she had never seen a man do the dishes before.

"What? You cooked, so I do the washing up. That's how it works, right?"

"I think I love you," she said, shaking her head in surprise. I bit my tongue. I knew she was teasing me. _So why is my heart racing?_

While I rinsed our plates and glasses and filled the dishwasher, I could hear her inspecting my Blu-ray collection, snorting with derision. I was preparing to defend myself when she ran into the kitchen with a disk in her hand.

"I can't believe you have 'Love, Actually'. That is such a chick flick!"

"Esme gave it to me for my last birthday, as a joke." I frowned. "Although, now that I come to think about it, she said something about me using it for tips on how to get girls while being the prime minister."

She rolled her eyes and returned to the lounge to put on the movie. Dishes done, I joined her on the sofa, placing my arm around her shoulders as she curled into my side.

"Actually, you remind me a lot of Hugh Grant in this," she said.

"Really? I don't want to model myself on Hugh Grant, for God's sake. But he does have some good lines. Like 'Who do you have to screw around here to get a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit?' and he's willing to call out the SAS for his girlfriend. That sounds familiar."

She snorted. "They also think he's 'as gay as a picnic basket'. No, but, you know, he's charming, he has nice hair, and he's, um, kind of a dork…" My look of outrage made her giggle.

"I guess you're just here to tease me," I pouted, then suddenly lunged at her, tickling her all over.

"OK, OK! I meant you _have_ a big dork… I surrender!" she squealed.

My tickling slowed and transformed into groping. After initially submitting, Bella joined in too, rubbing my arms and feeling my biceps flex as my hands explored her body. We were kissing passionately when she suddenly broke the embrace.

"Oh! I love this song." Bella looked in my eyes, lovingly. "It's always reminded me of you."

I smiled, but looked puzzled, so she began to sing along with the song in the movie.

"_You look into my eyes I go out of my mind  
I can't see anything 'cos this love's got me blind  
I can't help myself, I can't break the spell  
I can't even try…"  
_

As she sang, she rose up on her knees and straddled my lap.

"_I'm in over my head, You got under my skin  
I've got no strength at all in the state that I'm in  
And my knees are weak, and my mouth can't speak  
Fell too far this time  
Baby, I'm too lost in you, Caught in you  
Lost in everything about you  
So deep, I can't sleep, I can't think  
I just think about the things that you do  
I'm too lost in you  
Well you whispered to me and I shiver inside  
You undo me and move me in ways undefined…"_

She stopped singing and kissed me deeply, burying her fingers in my hair. My hands held her waist, and accidentally found the hidden zip of her dress under one arm. I ran my fingernail up the teeth of the zip until I found the fastener, but I didn't pull it down. Bella pulled back from me, confused at my reticence.

"Can we take this to the bedroom?" I asked. "I feel a bit like we've made love everywhere but there…"

She smiled at my choice of words. "Made love…" she breathed.

I stood up with her straddling me, and walked slowly to my room. My chin nestled in her cleavage as she held on to my neck, and I kissed the top of both her breasts. Laying her down on my bed, I reached for her zip again. "Now we're home we can take our time."

She sighed, pausing in thought as I continued to remove our clothes. "Home?" Her eyebrows creased into a question as she looked up at me.

"I want this to be our home. Stay here with me." She gasped as I entered her, her warmth enveloping me, slick and tight. "This is where I belong. _Home._"

Carlisle thought I was crazy. He called me a "romantic fool" and warned me that teenagers were harder to win over than their mothers. I knew all that.

"I don't want to be their father. They already have one of those – even if he is a deadbeat."

"Maybe you'd just like to be their stepfather?" Carlisle was teasing, but now that he came to mention it…

Nevertheless, he agreed to my plan. I was unusually nervous as Tyler drove us through the gates of the police college, and I could see all the family members gathered on the parade ground for the ceremony.

My staff had been puzzled by my sudden change of plans, although Rose soon seemed to put two and two together. Perhaps Emmett had said something to her, but as we got out of the car she handed me my speech and whispered, "Good luck". Her encouragement buoyed me, and I took a moment to scan the audience.

There she was, sitting with Esme, and her sister and daughter whom I recognised from the airport. Esme was here to keep up appearances, but in a few moments everyone would know Carlisle was not going to be here.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an exciting announcement," the police commissioner told the assembly. "We have been informed that, sadly, Deputy Prime Minister Carlisle Cullen has another pressing matter to attend to this afternoon and cannot be with us." The crowd murmured in dismay. I saw Bella give Esme a questioning look, but Esme just shrugged.

"However, I'm very excited to be able to tell you that Prime Minister Edward Masen has kindly taken time out of his busy day instead to step in as patron of this cadet wing."

The crowd gasped in astonishment and burst into applause. I saw Bella's head look around to see where I was, and our eyes met. I smiled, and the look she gave me made my breath catch. She knew at once that I must have arranged this, for her and for Charlie.

I delivered my speech with a light head, unable to see anything but her smiling face even when I looked away from her.

When I finished speaking I had to hand out the class prizes, and while Charlie wasn't the top student, he had won the marksmanship prize as Bella had predicted. _Maybe I could offer him a job with Emmett?_ I took particular note of him as he came up to shake my hand. I assumed he looked like his father, because there were very few of Bella's fine features on the young man's face. He had a firm grip, but also a kind smile and gave a fist pump to his family as he walked off stage. I saw Bella beaming at him, full of love, and clapping wildly. When Esme put her fingers in her mouth and wolf-whistled I thought I had seen it all. Did Carlisle know his wife was so raucous? I chuckled at her and she winked back.

After the ceremony I had my photograph taken with the graduating class. Charlie sat two along to my right, and I almost asked for his neighbour to swap seats so he could be next to me. I felt oddly paternal towards this boy I had barely met, but I couldn't risk showing any favoritism. Still, I regretted the fact Bella would not be able to have a picture of the two of us side by side. _God, what was happening to me?_

I mingled a while with guests and police dignitaries, but had to leave before I could have a good talk with Charlie. Bella and I exchanged wistful looks. I hadn't had much of a chance to talk with her, either, but at least I hoped Charlie would have a favourable opinion of me. That would be a start.

Bella had spent every night since the gallery party at my apartment. Each night I would be driven to my official residence at Premier House, wait a short while, and then have Emmett drive me to Oriental Bay. Sometimes she was already there, waiting with a meal prepared; other times she would arrive later after spending the evening at work or with her family. She made the place feel like a home, as I knew she would.

I was dreading Christmas Day when we would have to be apart, but we planned to meet back at the apartment in the evening, when I would give her the special gift I had been planning. She didn't seem to mind the separation. It was her last day with Charlie and I tried my best not to be jealous.

On Christmas Day, I slept late, slightly dreading a day without Bella. She had told me all about her plans for a big family lunch, and had left my bed at 6am to start preparing the roast lamb. Part of me wondered why she hadn't thought to include me in her plans, but the other more rational side knew she couldn't be so blatant.

I was to have lunch with Carlisle and Esme, as I had done every year since my father died. By the time Emmett and Tyler came to collect me I was anxious for the day to be over so I could see her again. As was my usual custom, I took flowers to my parents' graves on the way to the Cullens' house, but reserved the biggest bouquet for my hostess.

When I knocked on the front door, Esme opened it and gave me a big hug. I kissed her on the cheek and presented her with the flowers. She was delighted, although upon entering I saw the house was already filled with more flowers than your average florists.

Carlisle was waiting in the foyer to greet me.

"Are your kids here yet?" I asked, shaking his hand.

"No, Kate and Maggie are coming this evening. This meal is for our more extended family," he said cryptically, his arm snaking around Esme's waist.

It was then I noticed the noise coming from the dining room. Alice Brandon and Rosalie were setting the table and arguing about the placement of cutlery. When they looked up and saw me in the doorway they laughed at my confused expression.

"Merry Christmas! Where's the mistletoe, Esme?" Alice joked, trying to make a lunge for me.

I backed up, but bumped into Emmett carrying parcels. Lots of parcels.

"Hold on. Esme, how many people are coming to lunch?"

"Well, there's us…and the ones you see here…" She paused and smirked. "And all Bella's family… and-"

"Wait! What? Bella's here?" Not really waiting for an answer, I strode past Esme's grinning face to the kitchen. Bella, her sister and daughter were all wearing aprons with Christmas motifs and were fussing over a mountain of food. Charlie was at one end of the kitchen bench, placing strawberries decoratively on top of a massive cream-topped pavlova. They all looked up as I barged into the room.

"Edward! Merry Christmas!" Bella beamed, and rushed over to kiss me. Taken aback at her brazenness, I turned at the last minute so her kiss landed on my cheek. I gave her a tiny scolding look.

"It's OK. Everyone here knows, and they are all really happy for us."

All of a sudden I was overwhelmed by kisses and hugs from the Swan women and a sturdy handshake from Charlie.

"You're OK, man," he said. "Just look after her, OK?"

"This is unexpected, and completely… amazing. Thank you," I said to them all, a little lost for words. "I plan to take good care of Bella, for a long time, if she'll let me." I took her hand. "So, who else knows?"

"Alice, and Esme and Carlisle, of course, and Rose guessed after your stunt at the police college." I smirked. "The only people coming today who don't know are Jasper and Eric."

"Your editor is coming here?"

"He's Alice's date, and Eric is Ange's. They'll be here very soon."

"You've been very sneaky, you know," I lowered my voice. "I didn't know about any of this. I haven't brought your present with me."

"That's OK. You can give it to me later, like we planned." She looked up at me through her lashes and a thrill shot through me.

"I will certainly give it to you later," I whispered, pinching her pert bottom surreptitiously. Smirking, I turned back to the others and asked if there was anything I could help with.

"Not really, but you can help with the dishes later. Bella says you're an expert," Angela grinned at me.

I got the feeling I would be the butt of everyone's jokes today, but I was in a good mood now so I played along. "Oh, yes, Bella loves it when I put on the rubber gloves and get all hot and soapy."

"Eww, gross!" chorused Renee and Charlie, while their aunt and mother laughed along with me. _We would get along fine_.

Things got more subdued when Jasper and Eric arrived. They both kept their distance from me but I saw them each take Bella aside to speak to her. I wasn't sure if it was work-related or personal, and I didn't ask. She would tell me later if it was important.

At lunch I sat between Esme and Rose, with Bella opposite playing footsie with me under the table. Conversation flowed with the wine until everyone was full and in need of a respite before dessert.

"Presents!" Alice clapped, and I felt embarrassed looking at the huge stash of booty under the tree.

"Well, my round will be short. I didn't know you were all going to be here, so I only brought gifts for Carlisle and Esme," I said, making my best apologetic face.

"That's OK, but Bella and I knew you were coming and we got you a little something," Alice smirked.

_Oh, God. What could it be? From both of them? _I looked at Bella, who had risen from the table to find the present on the pile. The others all sat grinning at me, anticipating the joke. _Well, it couldn't be too personal, for fear of blowing our cover to Jasper and Eric. And the kids were here, so it shouldn't be too crude… _A bead of sweat slid down my temple and I loosened my tie. By the time Bella handed me a long, slender box my heart was racing.

"Merry Christmas, sir," she said, smiling. "We hope you like it."

I glanced at Esme, who was laughing at my discomfort. "Go on, open it!" she urged.

I ripped off the red reindeer paper to reveal a triangular wooden dowel about a foot long. Engraved in gold lettering on one side were the immortal words: "Prime Minister Pantydropper."

"It's a name plate for your desk at the Beehive," Bella explained unnecessarily, trying to keep a straight face.

When the others saw what was written, they exploded into laughter. After my initial horror, I joined them. I didn't really mind. To hear Bella laugh – even at my expense – was the best present I could receive.

I didn't pay much attention to everyone's gifts; I needed to get my bambina alone.

After dessert of pavlova, fruit salad and a cream-and-brandy-soaked log made from Hobnobs – the recipe of which I requested from Esme – the guests started making noises to leave. Charlie and Renee had friends they planed to spend the evening with, and the others paired off to go their separate ways. It was only after Alice, Jasper, Angela and Eric had left that I could finally curl my arm around Bella's waist and pull her close. She smelled of roast lamb and brandy, so I inhaled deeply.

"I want to show you my new place," I whispered in her ear. "There's no one there today except on the gate. Staff holiday."

She looked at me wide-eyed. "Are you sure?"

"I'll call Tyler to pick us up. No one will see you through the tinted windows."

"And Tyler?"

"He's OK. What happens in the limo stays in the limo."

While Bella thanked Esme and got her things, I told Emmett he wouldn't be needed for the rest of the day. He became a face full of dimples as he shook my hand.

"Merry Christmas, sir, and thank you. And thank you for the bonus, too. Very unexpected… I just do my job…"

"Em, we both know you have done so much more for me lately. Go and enjoy Christmas with your loved ones." I gestured towards Rose, who, I could tell, had been half-listening to our conversation as she helped Carlisle load the dishwasher with the plates I had rinsed. She smiled and mouthed, "Thank you" at me, then looked tenderly at Emmett. Glancing at Bella, I saw the same look on her face as she stared at me.

I had been semi-firm throughout lunch, watching her eat and laugh with her friends. _Our_ friends. Her gaze made me harder, and I knew I needed to give her my gift as soon as possible.

I kissed Esme farewell and shook Carlisle's hand again, and he gave me an avuncular smile.

"I've never seen you so happy," he said, quietly.

"I'm very happy." It was true, possibly for the first time in my life. And not just because I was getting my end away after years of abstinence.

I took Bella's hand and we snuck out the back door. Cutting through some camellias, we found the path which led us onto a quiet back street where Tyler was waiting.

Premier House was deserted, as promised. Bella had been here before for work, but had never been allowed into the private quarters. I took great pleasure in guiding her through the ornate rooms until we finally came to the room I most wanted her to see.

"Yeah, this is my room," I said shyly, suddenly overcome with uncharacteristic nerves.

"You don't even sleep here, so it's hardly your room."

"No… but I was hoping we could maybe, um, christen it?" I opened the door and she looked genuinely impressed at the elegant furnishings and canopied four-poster bed. "I don't think it's seen much action in years." I watched Bella as she approached the bed and pointed to a gold box on the nightstand, tied with red ribbon.

"What's in the box?"

"Open it and find out."

Like an eager child, she threw the ribbon aside and tore open the box. A smirk played on her face as she reached in and pulled something out, which she dangled on the end of her pinkie finger. "What's this?"

"It looks like a bikini," I said, feigning innocence.

"A very, very small bikini." She studied the purple scraps in her hand. "Do you expect me to wear this?"

"I was hoping you would, yes. I want you to come away with me for New Year." I stepped closer to her and fingered the material in her hand. "It's somewhere hot and secluded. You could wear this on the beach." I paused. "Or you could wear the other thing in the box."

Bella looked in the box and frowned. She tipped it upside down to indicate it was empty. "There's nothing else in there."

"Exactly." I took another step to let her feel my arousal hard up against her stomach. Our eyes met, and both of us seemed to agree in an instant that we were wearing too many clothes.

A slow smile spread across her face as she pulled off her plain red dress to reveal a black corset with matching panties, suspenders and stockings. I immediately halted my trouser removal to stare.

"This is my present for you. This outfit, and this." She knelt in front of me and pulled my briefs down in one swift tug. Before I even really knew what was happening, she took me in her mouth so far I thought I would cum instantly.

I caught sight of the portrait of former prime minister Richard "King Dick" Seddon on the wall as my eyes rolled back in my head. _"King Dick" indeed_.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi, everyone! I hope you are all well and ready for another chapter. There are a few things in this one I may need to explain for those of you not from this part of the world or in the journalism business. **

**A "media pool" is an arrangement made when there is not enough funding or space for a large press pack to go on a trip. Representatives of each media (print/TV/radio) are drawn out of a hat and must file their stories for all the others not on the trip to use. **

**Hayman Island is one of the Whitsunday Islands on Australia's Barrier Reef, off the coast of North Queensland. Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) is one of New Zealand's most famous writers. She was born in Wellington (where I live) and achieved fame in England, where she was a friend of Virginia Woolf. **

**The ABC is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (radio and TV). It is usually given the definite article to differentiate it from TV network ABC in the United States.**

**As usual, pictures and music to accompany this chapter will be on my profile page and my blog, kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com. **

**Huge thanks to Whitbysucks/girlpower, FluffyLiz and Totoro, and especially debb24601 who saw a pic of the hotel suite months ago and immediately knew what the railing could be used for. ILY, you perv! **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just letting them spend the holidays somewhere warm. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 12**

BPOV

The canopied bed made me feel claustrophobic, like I was sleeping in a box. It was only early evening but we had both fallen asleep after christening several of Premier House's rooms in turn. My favourite had been the formal lounge, where Edward had sat in an antique chair while I straddled him. I wore him out, and he was now sleeping soundly beside me.

God, he looked so beautiful in his sleep. His eyelashes were so gorgeously long, and his hair was tousled sexily, a little wisp falling down over his forehead. I fought hard not to reach out and smooth it back.

I had slept briefly but had woken in a panic after feeling the walls were closing in on me. Apart from the close confines of the bedposts, I had no real reason for dread. Today everything had come together perfectly. Not that it hadn't been a lot of work. The girls and I had worked hard to keep Christmas lunch a secret from Edward, and I think he was pleasantly surprised.

It had also taken quite some effort on my part to convince Charlie and Renee that starting a relationship with the prime minister was a good thing. Renee seemed to understand, I guess because she had realistic memories of how life had been with Ben. Charlie saw our home life from a slightly more rosy, naïve perspective and thought Ben was merely misunderstood.

When Edward turned up at his graduation instead of Carlisle I had been overwhelmingly touched. After the ceremony and photos, I'd asked Esme if she'd been in on the plan, and she confessed to knowing about it.

"He wants to be in your family, in your lives. He practically had to beg Carlisle to swap. It's so sweet," Esme had beamed.

Renee had been listening and practically jumped up and down with enthusiasm. "Oh my God! He's busy running the country and he can still find time to come here? Wow, Mum, he must really, I dunno…" Her eyes bugged wide and she let out a squeal. "Dad never came to any of my school prizegivings."

"He's not Dad," Charlie snapped. He was giving Edward the evil eye through the crowd. "This is creepy. It's like stalking."

"Honey, now isn't really the time or place. When we get home I want to talk to you and your sister about what's going on right now."

"What is going on right now, Mum?" he asked.

A few hours later I was able to tell him. "Your dad loves you both, but me – not so much. He never really did."

"That's not true!" Charlie began, but I shook my head so vigorously he stopped. We were seated around Angela's dining table, just the three of us. Ange had retreated to the lounge, but I knew she could hear our conversation and was willing to back me up if need be.

"I know it's hard to hear, but your father had lots of other women while he was with me. Dozens." I started from the beginning, back at journalism school, and didn't stop until I got to the part where I walked out on Edward at his candidacy party. It was Renee who made me pause; she was crying. I got up and put my arm around her shoulder, murmuring words of comfort. Charlie looked sheepish at my admissions and was keeping his eyes averted. "I just couldn't do to your father what he'd been doing to me all those years. I just couldn't."

"But you deserved some happiness," Renee sniffed.

"I'm getting that chance now. Edward waited for me, by some miracle, and now we're free to pursue something." I turned to Charlie. "He wants to get to know you, and I'd like that, too. Just give him a chance. He really is very nice."

"Do you love him?" Charlie's voice broke.

"I think I do, yes."

"Then I'll give him the benefit of the doubt."

"That's all I'm asking," I had said.

Charlie had made me so proud today. Tears began to well up as I realised how much I would miss him when he moved away in the morning. I would have to leave here somehow without being seen to go home. Had Edward planned an escape route?

He hadn't told me much about this trip he wanted us to go on, either. I hoped it wasn't another bloody island. I'd seen enough of those lately. At least I wouldn't be stuck with Eric this time.

Eric had been quite perceptive at lunch. He caught an exchange of glances or something, and with a photographer's eye had processed the image in his head. He then confronted me.

"It was him you were moaning over on Ahitipua, wasn't it?" he whispered, nodding in Edward's direction.

"Mate, you must be dreaming," I countered, quoting his favourite Aussie phrase.

"I don't think so, mate. I've seen how he looks at you, and how you look at him. It's almost feral. You want each other. Badly." He smirked. "And I think you might've done something about that already, you dirty girl."

I grabbed his forearm and pulled so he lowered his face to mine. "Listen, Eric, if you so much as utter one word of this ridiculous conspiracy theory of yours, so help me I will knee you in the testicles so hard you will be tasting arse for a month."

"Mate, I'm not going to say anything. Your sister would kill me, for one thing. But you should know that if I can see it, so can other people. I know some people have been asking around."

"Who? Asking about what?"

"That Jacob Black kid's been asking about Masen and if we have any photos of him with women. And that slag Jessica what's-her-name has been asking me about you."

A shiver ran down my spine. "Asking what, exactly?"

"Well, it's weird. She wanted to know if you had a boyfriend – I said no – and then she asked about those blue shoes of yours. Wanted to know if I knew anyone else with a pair like them."

Jessica must've seen me in the debating chamber. Clearly she didn't have enough evidence to go public; it sounded like she hadn't seen faces, only shoes. If she knew it was Edward we would have heard by now. Was she working with Jacob, or did I now have two adversaries to keep an eye on?

I hadn't told Edward yet. There hadn't been a chance to, and he would only worry. So far Jessica had nothing concrete, so I had plausible deniability. And so far Edward's name hadn't even been mentioned.

I glanced down at his sleeping form and began wondering about the trip he had planned. How was he expecting us to keep that a secret? We'd still have to take Emmett with us wherever we were going. People would see us at airports, on the plane… A thought suddenly dawned on me. _Unless we were travelling separately_. He looked so peaceful, curled up on his side towards me. _Did he expect me to fly somewhere on my own, so I could meet up with him?_

I realised I was holding my breath, and let out a huge lungful, which sounded almost like a groan. _I want to sit next to him on a plane and talk. I want to stand in a Customs line with him, holding hands. I want to read a map while he drives the rental car._ _I want to be seen with him_.

"I want to be seen with you, too." I looked over to see Edward's eyes had opened and he was smiling at me. _Oh, God, I must've said that out loud_. "Remind me again why we're sneaking around? We aren't doing anything wrong."

I sighed. "No, not wrong. But it _is_ complicated."

He propped himself up on an elbow and looked suddenly serious. "I know, your journalistic integrity, 'it's early days yet'…" His look asked so many questions I wasn't sure I was ready to answer. "And I would be offering you up for ritual slaughter by the tabloids. I know. It still doesn't stop me from wanting to reach out and brush the hair out of your eyes when you've been running to keep up with the media scrum, or pull you by the hand up to my side when you can't see at the back. I love you. I want to be with you, I want you to help me do this job."

"What?" Oh. My. God. _What was he asking?_

Edward sat up a bit and pulled the pillow under his elbow for support. "Come and work for me. I need good staff, and Alastair's suggesting a lot of people I know I couldn't work with. If you come to work for me it wouldn't matter about your journalistic integrity."

"But I would be dipping my pen in the company ink."

"I would have no problem with that," he grinned, cheekily.

"Really?" I mocked.

"Uh-huh. Anyway, it would be my pen doing the actual dipping." He wiggled his eyebrows and I gave up a smile.

"I'll think about it." I was actually just placating him. I couldn't work for Edward. It would be… no, wait, actually, it would be quite nice. I wouldn't have to worry about being impartial, and I would see him every day, maybe even travel away with him.

"So, where are we going for New Year?"

"Ah, well, it's a little bit of business as well as pleasure, I'm afraid." He saw my face fall. "No, nothing too bad. I had Rose rig the media pool so you're official, and we will be there primarily just to relax."

"Where?"

"Hayman Island. The Aussie prime minister has invited me to a little summit he's holding there to discuss Pacific Island issues – aid for Ahitipua, the whole greenhouse problem with Kiribati, Tuvalu and the Tokelaus, and what we'll do about refugees."

"I've been to those villages that flood every day at high tide. It's devastating."

"I know. I've promised those people free entry into New Zealand whenever they want. Australia takes a harder line with immigrants, as you know." I nodded. "So we have a few things to talk about. The summit starts on January 2, but we will be there four days early, enjoying a holiday and seeing in the New Year on a private beach, just the two of us. What do you say?"

"Sounds lovely, until the 2nd rolls around and I have to move my things back into the servants' quarters."

"It won't be like that."

"No?"

"So you'll introduce me to the dignitaries as your girlfriend? No, I didn't think so."

"What do _you_ want? Say the word and I'll call a press conference. If you won't come to work for me, I can help you get another job…" He looked down at the sheets and became almost bashful. "I'm afraid I can't do this alone. I realise now what I would be missing – what I do miss – when you aren't by my side." Edward looked up and met my gaze with moist eyes. "Will you help me? Having you at the summit will help me so much… please?"

I swallowed audibly and nodded. He rose up on his knees and kissed me tenderly.

"Come with me," he whispered into my mouth, and my stomach caught fire. I brought my hand up to gently scratch the smattering of hair on his chest as we kissed again. Without breaking contact, I rose up onto my knees and pressed my palm flat over his heart. It was beating rapidly, matching the pace of my own.

"Come with me," he said again, and this time I knew he didn't mean to Hayman.

Late that night, a scratchy car rug over my head, I crouched low in the MG's passenger seat as we drove out past the guard at Edward's gate. As we snuggled up in bed together at his apartment an hour later, I was still itchy with humiliation. Edward was right, we didn't have to sneak around, and it was ultimately up to me to bring us out into the open. I wasn't ready yet, but I had a niggling feeling it might be soon.

In the morning I returned alone to Ange's house to prepare for Charlie's departure. Despite knowing he was trained to take care of himself, the mother in me was concerned for his safety. Ange held me as I cried and told her my fears. As I cried on her shoulder, I realised I wasn't just crying for Charlie. Everything was changing and I was scared for all of us.

"He'll be fine, honey. He's a big, strong lad, and he'll be with some experienced guys to start off with. They won't let anything happen to him." Ange patted my back, and I sniffed.

"I know, but it's my job to worry." I hiccupped and took a shaky breath. "It's all changing, Ange. Renee's leaving in a month, and you're going out with Eric…"

"And you have Edward," she reminded me.

"Mmm."

Angela pushed me back so she could look at my face. She frowned. "What? What does 'mmm' mean?"

"I'm scared about that, too. He's said some things… it's getting quite serious, and I don't know what to do."

"Do you love him?"

"Yeah," I said, without hesitation.

Ange smiled and hugged me tight again. "Well, that's all that matters. Don't worry about the rest of us, we'll be fine. It's time you started looking after yourself. The kids are grown, and I think we both deserve a little fun now."

"Yeah, Mum, you do," said Renee, appearing at the kitchen door. She had been packing for her flight to Sydney, and was leaving the next day. "Edward's great. I really like him, and Charlie's come around to the idea, too, after yesterday. He saw how you were together. You were never like that with Dad."

Angela and I extended our arms so Renee joined us in our embrace. I was crying again, and I didn't stop until after Charlie's flight took off from Wellington airport. I'd made him so embarrassed he practically ran when the announcement to board came over the loudspeaker. I wanted Edward to be there to comfort me…

"Ange, I need to go."

She looked surprised for a second, then smiled and nodded. "I understand. Go. We'll see you later."

I ran to the taxi stand and told the first driver to take me to Oriental Bay as quickly as he could. I didn't even know if Edward would be there, but I couldn't keep myself away.

He looked startled as I burst through the door. He was sitting at the piano, looking sad, but stood when I rushed towards him.

"I don't want us to ever be apart."

"The outside world holds no interest for me without you," he brushed my hair off my face and kissed my forehead.

"Then let's stay here, in our happy place," I sighed.

I cried again at the airport saying goodbye to Renee, even though she was only going away for a few days. I'd had to leave Edward again to see Renee off, meet Ali at the spa to get my body bikini-ready, and to see Jasper about the summit. I wasn't looking forward to talking to him – he had already expressed his concern on Christmas Day that he and his staff seemed too close to Edward and Carlisle.

I was in a good mood after the spa, though, where Ali and I had laughed through the pain of our Brazilians, and she had agreed to come with me for support. I knew she just wanted to see Jazz on her day off, but I didn't question her motives.

Jasper bought my cover story that I was going to Australia to visit relatives and would be in the area before the summit began, and he particularly liked the fact he would only have to pay for my return flight. A quizzical look came across his face, though, when he studied the paperwork I had given him.

"What the fuck? Who drew up this media pool? Anyone would think it'd been rigged." Ali and I made innocent faces. "There's just you going, and the Chinese language Access radio reporter, and Maori television. No Radio New Zealand, no Press Association, no TVNZ, no one… jeez they'll be pissed off."

"Means we'll get an exclusive," Alice clapped her hands.

"I want this exclusive, Jazz." _So much_.

"OK, have fun. Here's hoping Masen doesn't have to rescue you from _this_ island."

Alice and I giggled, knowingly.

As soon as I stepped from the plane my glasses started to fog up and I was sure I could feel my hair frizzing. "Man!" I muttered under my breath. It must be 40 degrees and 100 percent humidity here.

"Hot stuff," a deep voice drawled behind me. I turned to look into his eyes, and was pretty sure he didn't mean just the North Queensland weather. In fact, to stress his double entendre, he winked and checked out my ass.

I blushed. I had spent the entire four-hour flight seated right next to him in business class, and had not relaxed for one second. What if someone asked why he was sitting next to me and not one of his staff? Thankfully the business class seats were arranged in "pods" with hard dividers in between so we weren't touching, but when he reclined for a nap mid-flight I couldn't help thinking if I did the same we would be in the 69 position. That made me blush again. And feel slightly uncomfortable between my thighs.

The stewardesses were all trying to attract his attention, but he was oblivious. _Couldn't the bitches see he was mine?_ No, of course they couldn't. To the outside world I just looked like Edward's secretary. I envied Rose and Emmett, who were openly canoodling across the aisle.

We had bypassed the usual airport routine by checking in at the military terminal on the other side of the runway. I was granted my wish of being able to hold Edward's hand as we checked in and waited for the Crown car to drive us across the tarmac to the waiting plane. We boarded last, acting as if we were colleagues on a business trip. But I was keen for that façade to break. I had never really noticed before how brazen some women were with him, and I needed that to stop. I wanted to tell the world that he was off the market. Taken. _Mine._

After clearing Customs at Cairns airport, we boarded a helicopter that would take the four of us to Hayman Island. The water below us was clear blue, and the chopper buzzed low so we could see the tropical fish playing along the coral reef. I held Edward's hand, and sighed.

"It's so beautiful."

"Yes, you are." He was staring at me like I was something to eat, and I blushed. "I can't wait to get you to our room."

My blush seemed to spread all over my body, causing a painful throbbing between my legs. I couldn't look at Emmett and Rose, but I hoped they were too engrossed in each other to notice my embarrassment.

Within minutes we were landing on grass in front of a large white palace. From the air I had noted a golf course, trees and sandy beaches, and a spectacular complex of tropical villas and swimming pools. We were met by the resort's manager, who led us to a villa away from the main accommodation block. When he opened the door, I gasped.

"The French Presidential suite, sir… and madame."

The main room was huge, tastefully decorated and featured a baby grand piano by the French doors and a 19th century French marble fireplace. The dining room was off to the right, with a separate kitchen and I could see three separate bedrooms. I caught my mouth hanging open.

"Excellent. Thank you very much." Edward pressed a tip into his hand as the busboys came in with our bags. Edward tipped each of them as well as they left.

"Mr McCarty and Ms Hale have rooms this way," the manager said, waving his arm for them to follow him. Emmett hesitated, looking at Edward.

"It's OK, you go on. You're not on duty now."

"See you at the restaurant for dinner?" Emmett asked.

"Doubt it," Edward smirked.

"Tomorrow, then," Em smiled. He put his hand on the small of Rose's back to guide her out the door, and waved the other one at me. "Have fun!"

The door closed and Edward grabbed my waist with superhuman speed. "Come here," he said, pulling me close. "I've been waiting to kiss you for hours."

I groaned as our lips met and his tongue forced its way into my mouth. He tasted so divine. I grabbed his hair and brought his face closer, my tongue fighting with his in a passionate dance. I tottered on my high-heeled sandals and fell back against a railing which separated the entranceway from the main living room.

"Mmm," Edward groaned. "I love the sexy librarian look, but now it's time for these clothes to go."

He felt around my waist for the zip of my navy pencil skirt, and before I realised it he had reduced it to a pile on the floor. I raised my arms so he could remove my white tank top, continuing to kiss him until the last second when clothing separated us.

He stood back to appraise me in my underwear, and I reached up to unfasten my ponytail. If he wanted the librarian cliché he would have it, I thought, as I shook my hair out and looked up at him through my lashes.

Edward's eyes roamed my body as he unbuttoned his shirt and threw it on the ground. He fumbled with the button of his trousers, which were distended by the obvious arousal in his boxer briefs. I smiled slowly and leaned up against the rail.

"Can I help you with that?"

He shook his head once as the button snapped open. "Take it all off."

I bit my lip and he groaned as he pushed his trousers and briefs down. As I reached behind to unhook my bra he took himself in hand and gave a couple of quick pumps. I could see he was already leaking as I dropped my bra on the pile, and I involuntarily licked my lips.

"Turn around," he ordered. I was puzzled, but did as I was told. His hands were on my hips and they pulled at my panties roughly, ripping the fabric. Edward waved the scrap of lace in front of me. "These are ripped, and they're wet. You'd better not wear them anymore."

"OK," I breathed, and he threw them aside.

"Bend over," he whispered, so close I could feel his lips in my hair. His erection poked me in the small of my back as I bent over, grabbing the railing on each side of me for support.

I spread my legs and angled my hips to take him in. He entered me slowly, causing me to cry out. "Harder! Please!"

He did as I asked, thrusting once, twice, as he moved his hands up from my hips to cup my breasts. I straightened up until I felt his chest against my back, and the change of angle pressed him harder against my front wall.

"Fuck, you feel good," he panted. "I can't hold on much longer. You're so gorgeous."

His words, combined with his fingers pinching my aching nipples and his masterful cock thrusting at just the right spot tipped me over the edge. My back arched as my body exploded in pleasure and relief. I felt myself clamp down around his dick in a death grip, and for a second I feared I'd lost so much control I might pee.

"Oh, Christ," Edward moaned as he gave a final, massive thrust before collapsing against me. The railing dug into me but I didn't care; the rain of kisses on my neck made up for the discomfort.

The sun was setting by the time we showered and changed. I was toweling dry my hair when Edward answered a knock at the door, and when I came out of the bathroom I found dinner and a sexy man waiting for me on the terrace. We ate, we talked, we danced in the moonlight, and when we couldn't keep our hands off each other any longer, we made love on a chaise longue. No one else existed as we held each other's naked body in the warm, tropical night air. No one except the mosquitoes, which eventually drove us inside to our bed.

The next day we slept late, made love in the shower, and ate brunch on our terrace. Emmett and Rose came by as we were eating to see if they were needed, but Edward waved them away. "We aren't planning to leave our room," he told them, never taking his eyes off me.

Late on our third day at the resort we ventured out of our suite to the pentagonal pool. There were few guests swimming at twilight, and those who were seemed not to pay us any attention. We looked just like any other honeymooning couple.

I wore the bikini Edward had given me for Christmas, while he preferred to swim in a pair of navy blue board shorts. They hung low on his hips, revealing the delicious trail of hair leading down from his bellybutton and the muscular V-shape of his hips. Even though I had seen him naked several times, his beauty took my breath away. We played and kissed in the warm water until it was fully dark, by which time we were all alone and my stomach began to protest its lack of dinner.

Hearing the rumble, Edward laughed and bundled me up in his arms. Without stopping for a towel he carried me like a bride, dripping wet, out of the pool and across the grass to our terrace, where a banquet had once again been left out for us. Classic Kiwi music was already playing through the sound system from inside: _Anchor Me_ by the Muttonbirds. _Ah, Pantydropper_.

Gently lowering me onto a sunlounger, he wrapped me in towels that had been left there, and used another to begin drying my hair. When he had finished, he picked up a plate and fork and began to feed me. Initially I protested, but after the first bite I realised the intimacy of the act.

Something had changed me on this island. Here was the leader of my country, topless and on his knees, feeding me. He loved me, and I had no more doubts. I loved him, too, so fucking much.

I tried not to stare at the way his wet shorts clung to him, but it became impossible to avoid the tenting fabric as our meal progressed to dessert. I was still soaking wet – in one place, at least – and I deliberately mistimed a bite so a strawberry fell from my mouth down my cleavage.

"Oops," I giggled. The look I gave Edward was far from innocent. He smirked as he peeled back the layers of towel to reveal my breasts in their tiny bikini. The change in air temperature had the obvious results, and he groaned.

"Fuck, I love these." Leaning forward, he picked up the fallen berry in his teeth and ate it. I held my breath as he licked the juice trail up my neck and chin, and stopped at my lips. I was trembling, and it wasn't from the cold. This kiss was different. He seemed to be telling me so much: that he would look after me, protect me, love me.

I could hear the music had changed to Opshops' _One Day_, and realised that song said a lot about how I felt.

"_I can't offer you the future_

_I don't know it myself_

_All I can offer you is me_

_I'm all I can offer you right now."_

Tears welled up, and when I tried to blink them away they just spilled down my cheeks. Edward stopped kissing me when he felt the moisture. He looked concerned, and moved back as if he was about to stand up. "What's wrong, Bella darling? Am I hurting you? I didn't mean to lean on you-"

I grabbed his hand so he would stay right by my side. His other hand raked anxiously through his hair, then gently caressed my cheek. "Bella? Did I do something wrong?" The panic was rising in his voice.

"I'm… I'm OK," I sniffed. "Just being a girl. I'm happy." He looked skeptical, so I added, "Honestly". I lifted a hand to brush his hair back off his face where he had messed it up, and pulled his head down to kiss him. When I broke the kiss I kept my eyes closed and our lips remained just touching. _This was it._ I took a deep breath and opened my eyes again.

"I love you, Edward. I always have."

His arms wrapped around me, and he began kissing me in a way that should be illegal. Easily distracted, even in the throes of passion, I glanced over his shoulder and noticed for the first time a large box sitting at one end of the outdoor table. "What's that?" I pointed.

"Fireworks. It's New Year's Eve… would you like to hold a sparkler?"

I reached down inside his shorts. "I thought you'd never ask."

It was late morning by the time I woke up, and I was alone. I felt like Cinderella; last night had been the start of something magical, but in the cold, hard light of the New Year I had been left sitting in the gutter, clutching my pumpkin.

I looked around and saw a breakfast tray by the bed with a stiff white card perched atop the plate cover. On the outside, Edward had written in his elegant handwriting: _This is not a letter, but my arms around you for a brief moment._

He's quoting Katherine Mansfield at me. Oh. My. God. _Swoon._

I opened the card and read that he had gone to practise his golf swing with Emmett before the other dignitaries arrived. Apparently a trans-Tasman golf game was included in the agenda. He ended the note: _I love you, E x_

Mention of the dignitaries reminded me of my place. With Alastair and the other New Zealand journalists arriving today, I would have to move to my own room in the main hotel building to keep up appearances. Thinking about it made me sick to my stomach, and the thought of doing it alone made me feel even worse.

I ate breakfast and began packing a bag. I only packed some of my clothes; the plan was to return at night to sleep with Edward, but give the appearance of staying with the other reporters. _More sneaking around_. A phantom itch on my arm reminded me of my scratchy blanket disguise on Christmas night, and I shuddered. We were going to have to talk when we got back to Wellington about going public.

In the meantime, though, I had to move, so I made my way to reception and got my new room key. "Servant's quarters," I muttered.

I was assigned a room next to Rose's and near the other New Zealanders. When the day's events concluded I would head there to file my stories, but after a safe passage of time I would make my way back to Edward's suite for the night. It meant having to do a "walk of shame" before sunrise, but it would be worth it. I couldn't sleep alone anymore.

Until all the delegations had arrived I had time on my hands. Rose was busy working, and I didn't want to know if the other New Zealand reporters had arrived, so I decided to don my Christmas present again and head back for a swim. I had the deck all to myself and it was so peaceful I became concerned I would doze off, so I got out of the pool and reclined in a lounger. I was applying sunscreen when a voice behind me said: "Let me help you. You always did have trouble reaching your back."

Ice crystals formed in my veins as I turned to see the face that matched that familiar, taunting voice. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I work for the ABC now. I'm covering the summit."

I slapped his hand away as he tried to reach for the sunscreen. "I don't need your help."

"Same as ever, eh, Bells? Charlie tells me you have a new boyfriend. I hope you're not as much of a dud root with him as you were with me."

He was menacing now, leaning over me, clenching and unclenching his fist.

"Fuck off," I spat, and quickly began gathering my things to leave.

"Where do you think you're going? I want to hear about this sad, pathetic loser who wants to fuck you."

I wasn't looking up so I only heard the footsteps. Two sets of men's footsteps, almost jogging towards us. Edward, followed by Emmett. Relief flooded over me, immediately followed by dread. _Oh, shit._

"Bella, are you OK? Is this man upsetting you?"

I closed my eyes to calm myself as I looked up. "Mr Masen, this is Ben." I waved my arm towards my ex-husband.

Without a word or any care for who was watching, Edward stepped forward and punched Ben in the face.

_Now we are so fucked._


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Happy Birthday to my beta and e-bestie debb24601! She talked me down off the ledge this chapter, and I am eternally grateful to her, FluffyLiz, Whitbysucks/girlpower and Totoro for their help and input. Thank you so much *mwah!* **

**Thank you all for reading and reviewing, and welcome to my new readers *waves!* Some of you make me laugh so much with your comments **** :) And yes, Edward and I know violence isn't the answer, but, damn, it sure was sexy! **

**As usual, pictures and music to accompany this chapter will be on my profile page and my blog, kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just making their lives very, very complicated. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 13**

EPOV

Blood was pounding in my ears and for a minute I couldn't hear Emmett speak.

"Go, sir, get out of here – now!" He spoke quietly but firmly. I had never seen him so deadly serious. This was the armed policeman in action.

I knew I had to retreat to my room, but I had to see if Bella was OK. I turned to see her being forcibly removed by Rose, who had suddenly appeared. Bella's arms reached for me and her face was pleading, but I couldn't make out what she was saying through her tears. She wasn't screaming at me; I hoped that meant she wasn't too angry.

I hadn't heard what that maggot had said to her, but I knew from her deathly pallor and the way she had shrunken in his presence that whatever he had said was vile and disgusting.

One punch didn't seem sufficient. I wanted to fucking kill him. He had made my Bella scared. Worse than that, he had made her afraid to love. That was unforgivable.

Now he was groveling on the ground, clutching his nose. I think I broke it. _Good._

"Sir, please, go now!" Emmett said again, looking around. "I'll take care of this."

Briefly, I considered how satisfying kicking Ben would be as I walked past. Instead, I leaned over his pitiful form and gave him my best politician's fake smile. I let my grin melt into a sneer. "If you ever touch her against her will again-"

Emmett pushed me away just as I was about to poke Ben in the eye with my index finger. "Get. Out. Now… sir."

I turned to see hotel staff beginning to make their way towards us. Bella and Rose were already out of sight. I ran to my suite and slammed the door unnecessarily.

_Oh fuck. What have I done?_

From my window, I could see Emmett helping the asshole up off the paving, and someone was tending to his nose.

_Bella must hate me now. A rush of blood to the head and now she'll never forgive me. There's always a rush of blood somewhere when it comes to her._

"Fuck!" I shouted. Both hands fisted my hair and I started pacing. Minutes later, Rose arrived alone and immediately began talking and writing notes.

"Very few people saw, sir. We can spin this. I don't think it's that bad. You were intervening in what looked like a domestic dispute." She looked at me, expectantly.

"Go on." I stopped pacing but kept my hands where they were.

"Well, we could strike first. Put out a statement saying 'PM saves woman from bully'."

"Can we keep Bella's name out of it?"

"I'm sure we could. But we'll have to get her ex to agree. He _is_ a journalist – he's the only one that could cause a real fuss."

"Fuck! I don't want to talk to him. I… I can't guarantee I won't hurt him again." I sighed. "I suppose he'll want something in return?"

"We'll see… I'll need to talk to Bella, but there might be something we can threaten him with…"

"Rose!"

"All perfectly legal, sir. He's a New Zealand citizen. If I question his immigration status, or threaten him with arrest and deportation for harassing Bella, he may just want to keep everything under wraps."

"Don't tell me any more. I don't want to know." I walked over to the drinks cabinet and began to pour a single malt into a glass, then thought better than to drink it. "Do I need to talk to the police?"

"I suspect you will. It'd be better if you were sober."

"I need to see Bella."

"That's not going to be possible. You need to lie low for a bit."

"But I need to explain… apologise… Actually, I have no explanation other than jealousy, and I'm not sorry I hit him." I lifted the glass and took a sip. One sip wouldn't hurt. Rose glared at me, then looked out the window at what was unfolding.

"Bloody good thing Alastair isn't here yet," she muttered. Turning swiftly from the window, she walked up to me and took the glass from my hand. "I need to tee things up with Emmett, and stop Bella from talking."

"She won't say anything," I said quickly.

"No, she won't reveal your relationship, but she needs to be on-message. I'd better get out there. Are you OK? You just stay here out of sight. Don't answer the phone or the door until I get back."

"OK. Thanks, Rose."

"You should put some ice on those knuckles too, bruiser. They look like you got him good."

I chuckled as she left. At least one woman was impressed with my show of testosterone.

Despite her express warning, I knew I had to speak with Bella. She was probably in a bit of shock, and I assumed Rose had left her on her own. I dialed her cell, and she answered on the first ring.

"Hello?" She sounded wary.

"Bella, I'm sorry. Please say you'll forgive me."

"Edward? Oh my God, are you OK?"

"Am _I_ OK? Are _you_ OK? Did he touch you?" My stomach lurched.

"No, he doesn't do that. He menaces. Words can cut much deeper…" Her voice drifted off and I realised she was thinking about her past with him.

"He's not going to get the chance to hurt you again, I promise… Bella?" No response. "Bella? Honey, I think you're in shock. Did Rose leave you on your own?"

"Yeah." I thought I heard her stifling tears. "She made me some tea."

"Well, I've opened the bar here. I wish I could see you, but I've been told to stay out of sight. Rose has a plan." I heard her sip her tea. "I'm really sorry I've fucked everything up."

"No, honestly, he's been asking for that for a long time now. It's a wonder he hasn't been punched out by a jealous husband before. Did you break his nose?"

"I think so. I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing. It's… fine. Actually, it was really kind of flattering."

"What?" I smiled.

"And hot. I've never seen you so… manly."

"Wow. Well, I don't apologise for hitting him. I wanted to kill him. Still do. But I'm sorry I lost control around you, and I'm sorry we now have to be apart."

"Can I come to you tonight?"

"I dunno. Alastair will be here soon, and then all hell will break loose. It's not safe for you to be around me. You'd better stay where you are for now."

"Where else would I go? I'll be at the end of the phone if you need me."

"I need you. Always."

I don't know how Rose managed to spin it, but she did. The headlines read: "Kiwi PM saves woman from thug"; "Masen mauls molester" and "PM a knockout with the ladies". The stories quoted the statement we issued, which said I had come to the aid of a woman who was being assaulted. She had then fled the scene and her whereabouts were unknown. There were so few witnesses we managed to keep Bella's name out of it, much to my relief. I was condemned by the usual anti-violence groups – and I knew I would have to do some penance when I got home – but many people applauded my actions. The latest poll had my popularity steady at 68%.

After a few hours of questioning, Ben was so scared of Emmett, his gun and the possibility of deportation that he disappeared quietly. Apparently the thought of returning home to New Zealand and trying to find a job was enough of a threat, since Ben had slept with the wives of all his prospective employers. Emmett's friend from the Australian Federal Police, on duty with their delegation, had also convincingly scared the shit out of him with tales of what would await him should he find himself in a North Queensland detention centre. All his thoughts of pressing charges against me were dropped. I wasn't convinced it was the last we'd see of him, though. He was still Charlie and Renee's dad, so I suspected I would eventually see him again.

Alastair had arrived a few hours after the fracas, and had been appalled by my behaviour, not that he knew the half of it. He bought Rose's spin, and for that I was grateful. She'd be getting a raise when we got back home.

There were reporters camped out all around my villa, making it impossible that night to see Bella, even secretly, and it was driving me insane. I couldn't sleep, so I sent her a text.

**Can't sleep. I need u.**

A reply came back almost instantaneously. **Ditto. I want you.**

This wasn't helping the aching in my balls. **Not helping. Distract me.**

**Ali thinks you're a superhero. Had 2 tell sum1. Swore her to secrecy.**

**Don't feel like hero. Maybe bad guy. Need 2 b punished.**

**LOL. Want 2 play investigative reporter & naughty PM?**

I chuckled, and replied: **Yes, pls**, before dialing her number to speak in person. We spent half an hour relieving some tension and another 30 minutes determining who would hang up first, before Bella finally said she would e-mail me something to help me sleep. After hanging up I waited several anxious minutes for my e-mail alert to beep. It was a music file, Brooke Fraser's _Arithmetic_. I hadn't heard the song in a while, so I downloaded it to my iPod and took it with me to bed. Lying there alone, I heard what Bella wanted to tell me:

"_But of all the things I know for sure  
You're the only certain one  
You are the one I want, you are the one I want…"_

I fell asleep smiling.

By the next morning, the summit was in full swing and I had to leave my suite for talks with the other leaders. As soon as I stepped out the door, I was confronted by a media scrum, all asking me about the altercation. In amongst the faces I saw Bella, thrusting her dictaphone in my direction.

"Mr Prime Minister, did you know the woman concerned?" someone asked.

"Ah, as I said in my statement yesterday-" I began.

"If you saw her again, what would you like to say to her?" It was Bella, interrupting me before I could lie on the record. She was getting the evil eye from her colleagues for interrupting me, but I loved her so much at that moment.

"I'd like to make sure she's all right. I never really got the chance. And I'd like to apologise for frightening her. Violence wasn't the best way to handle the situation, and I didn't think before weighing in. She must've been scared having some man attack her and then another one suddenly appear and punch him out."

"Do you think she's still on the island?" someone else asked.

"I don't know. If she is, I'd like to see her and see if she's OK." I looked at Bella and she nodded imperceptibly. I smiled, and Alastair and Emmett began to bustle me towards my meeting. Questions continued to be barked at me, but I ignored them.

As I passed Bella, who was as usual standing slightly back from the throng, I let my knuckles graze the back of her hand. Her fingers twitched in an attempt to feel more of my skin, but I had to keep moving. We touched for a millisecond, but it was enough for now. _I just hope no one saw_.

The story didn't die down. Reporters interviewed every female guest on the island and tried to track down everyone who had left on New Year's Day, but the mystery woman couldn't be found. It meant the story was still newsworthy, even overshadowing the good progress we were making at the summit. No one cared about global warming when the New Zealand prime minister was some kind of action man.

The media interest in me was so fierce and constant outside my door that it also meant Bella couldn't sneak back into my room for the entire rest of our stay. The three nights we spent alone were unbearably long. On the second night I discovered some clothes she had left behind, and I slept with one of her blouses, inhaling her scent so deeply I may have hyperventilated. It helped me relax, though.

I could only guess how Bella was sleeping. At the summit she looked exhausted and I caught her yawning. When we talked on the phone later she told me she was fine, but she was being hassled by newspapers at home to pursue the "mystery woman" angle more. Because she refused to harangue me about it, those newspapers were ringing Rose and Alastair directly, and neither was happy about it.

Ben had succeeded. He ruined our tropical idyll and managed to upset most of the people I cared about. If I thought I disliked the man before, I hated him even more now.

After two days of talks, and a little golf, we prepared to return home. This time, Bella would be flying economy, and I would be seated in business class next to Emmett, as Alastair insisted.

Bella and the other reporters had left Hayman very early in the morning on a charter boat. They had then had to travel by bus from Shute Harbour to Cairns airport. Without her friends, I knew she would be hot and getting crankier. I was beginning to regret the whole holiday. The one good thing was that she had admitted that she loved me, and that was enough to make my heart rejoice.

When we got to the airport, we here herded into a private room. I checked my phone and saw Bella had left me two text messages while I was in the helicopter. The first read: **Tired, sweaty, others have putrid BO. Wish u were here.** I chuckled. The second, sent five minutes later, said: **Cinders loves u, even when coach turns out 2 b pumpkin**.

I was about to text her back when Rose, who had also been checking her messages, approached me looking anxious.

"One of the papers back home is running a story today saying they have a witness who heard you say the woman's name before you threw the punch."

"Ah." I led Rose slightly further away from the rest of our entourage.

"Did you?" she asked, when we were out of earshot.

"Um, yeah, I dunno, probably. Who's the witness?"

"No name."

"Probably that bastard ex, leaking info. No offence to you, Rose, but when we get home I'd like to engage a PR firm. I think I need some help with this whole Bella situation."

"I can call Jane, if you like?"

Jane Alexander was Rose's old public relations lecturer and had her own consultancy. We had used her services during past campaigns, and Carlisle had hired her during his messy divorce. She had a reputation as a bit of a ball-breaker, but was exceptional at what she did.

I nodded to Rose. "Call her as soon as we get home. Thanks, Rose. I'm sorry I ruined your New Year."

"It's OK. We had a great time." She looked over at Emmett and smiled. "And I love the intrigue!" she whispered.

I sniggered, but noticed Alastair was staring at the two of us, so I steered Rose a bit further away. "You have Bella's clothes, don't you?"

"Yeah. It'll look less suspicious at Customs if I have them. You can take the bag home."

"I need to see her. I don't even know if she's coming home with me tonight."

"I can pass something on to her on the plane. I may duck into economy just to get away from the old woman I'm travelling with." She raised an eyebrow in Alastair's direction.

"Yeah, look, sorry, but I couldn't have you and Emmett sitting together or Alastair would get wind of your relationship. He'd fire one of you – or both - and I need you guys, so I'm not going to let that happen."

"Well, I'd like to go and sit with Bella anyway. After the day she's had to get home, on top of the last couple of days, I think sitting next to those two doofuses from the media pool might just be the last straw."

I smiled, but she was right, and I had planned it this way. Even if Ben hadn't shown up, this was the very unhappy ending to our perfect getaway.

"I didn't organise this very well, did I?"

"You can make it up to her. Chocolates and jewellery are always good." She gave me a cheeky grin. "Just give her the pantydropping smile… and diamonds."

We boarded last so I didn't see Bella at the airport or on the plane, but I wrote a quick note for Rose to deliver to her. I quoted ee cummings: "_I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart) I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear)"._ I didn't think I could write the next line – "_whatever is done by only me is your doing_" – because right now I was solely to blame for our predicament. Maybe she would recognise the poem and realise what was missing and what I was trying to tell her. That I was sorry. That I loved her, and that I would be in this with her for the long haul.

The trip back to Wellington was a long haul. Emmett and I watched movies and slept, and Rose didn't come back from visiting economy until we were ready to land. She brought no message back with her from Bella.

It was about 7pm by the time we cleared Customs. Rose called Jane while we waited for Tyler to pick us up, and Jane suggested I meet her at 9pm at the Bolton Hotel. I was exhausted and just wanted to get home, shower and get into bed with Bella, but it was important I met with Jane as soon as possible to start sorting the whole mess out. The sun was still up and I had napped on the plane, so I agreed.

Jane was full of intriguing insights, and was keen to help Bella and me, but made one point very clear. We could go public as a couple but she could never be identified as the person I defended at the pool. If it was revealed that her ex-husband was the victim, my malice would be obvious and I could be charged with assault. That would be the end of my career.

"The connection can never be made," she told me, in a voice that sent chills down my spine.

I had a lot to think about as we said our goodnights. Emmett called for my ministerial car on his DPS earpiece, and while we waited for it to arrive I put on my beanie and walked outside into the alleyway, as was my habit even though I no longer smoked.

I'd had a little bit to drink, and being in the alley wearing my beanie made me nostalgic. I carried it partly for the warmth when I used to smoke, and partly as a disguise in case I was recognised pissed and having a puff. I didn't think I'd worn it since meeting Bella at the airport that day.

Deep in reverie, I jumped out of my skin when a figure stepped out of the shadows by the dumpster and murmured, "Good evening, Prime Minister. Or should I say, good morning?"

"How did you know I was here?"

"I have my sources," she said, taking a step closer.

Emmett was at the corner of the building, looking out for the car. He could see her there, but was unconcerned because he recognised her face.

"So, Prime Minister, what do you need a high-powered PR hack for so urgently?"

"It's half past one in the morning. Question time is over."

"Just doing my job," she said, curtly, still advancing on me. She stopped a pace away from where I stood. _So, she wants to play this game again. OK, I'll bite… I can do bad-ass. _

"Well perhaps you need to find a new vocation," I spat back, in character. We stood glaring at each other for a moment too long, our frosty breath mingling as we both breathed heavily through our mouths. Our coats flapped together as the breeze caught the hems, but we held ourselves back just far enough that our bodies weren't in contact. It was agonizingly sexy. I wondered briefly if she was wearing anything under that coat. I hoped not.

Our stare was broken abruptly by the arrival of my car up the alleyway. Emmett stepped forward to open the rear door and gestured for me to get in. I grabbed her arm and pulled it forcefully.

"Get in the car." I shoved her roughly in the back seat and climbed in next to her. Emmett got in the front next to the driver, and we took off.

"Oh, for the love of all that's holy!" All hell seemed to be breaking loose this morning, and Bella wasn't here. A wave of panic struck me, and I nervously ran my fingers through my hair again. Where was she? She was always here, standing just off to one side, away from all the other parasites. But not today. Just when I needed her.

_Oh God, what have I done now? _Somehow I had made everything so much worse. As if that was possible. It was the first week of the year and it looked like everyone had cut short their summer holiday to come and shout at me. I couldn't hear myself think, and I couldn't see my anchor.

I leaned forward over my desk and took another peek out of the door. The usual suspects were all corralled down the corridor behind the glass fire door. Paul was attempting to keep them under control. I had sent Emmett out to check if she was there, but he came back shaking his head. As the smoke door closed behind him I heard a barrage of questions being shouted at me, even though I was out of their sight.

"You all right, sir?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah, thanks for braving that crowd." I smiled half-heartedly at him.

"She'll be here," he said with certainty. _Soon, I hope_.

Rosalie and Alastair bustled down the corridor amid another barrage of shouted questions.

"You need to turn on the radio, sir," she said, moving to the sound system built into my bookshelf and turning on the dial herself. "This has been on all morning."

"_Police are investigating reports a woman was abducted outside a central Wellington hotel early this morning. _

"_A waiter at the hotel saw a woman being bundled into a large silver sedan by what appeared to be two men. Both were described as European, aged in their mid-30s, of solid build. One wore a blue woollen beanie hat and was heard to order the woman into the vehicle._

"_The incident happened just moments after Prime Minster Edward Masen left the hotel, where he had been dining after returning from a summit meeting in Australia…" _

"Turn it off," I said, tersely. "I've heard it already."

Rosalie turned off the radio, but remained standing next to it. She folded her arms across her grey suit jacket, and gave a small toss of her long blonde hair. She and Emmett exchanged a worried look.

"It's bizarre that they're linking the incident with you," Alastair said, sitting in the chair opposite my desk. "It's hardly even a news story. No one knows a crime has even been committed. The waiter barely saw anything and certainly can't give a decent description. But it's enough that you had just been there. That pack jump at any chance to put your picture in the paper."

"Well, I certainly didn't see anyone getting abducted. And I'll tell the police that, if they ask me." That was the truth, after all. _Exactly how much of the rest of it I would have to tell them, well…_ Nervously, I ran both hands through my hair and leaned back in my chair, looking at the lightbulb in the ceiling.

"You probably will be interviewed, sir," Emmett said, from his sentry position by the door. "Just routine, but you were the last one to leave before the incident. They'll want to talk to everyone who was there. Including me, I suspect."

We exchanged glances. Both of us knew what had happened, but we weren't about to say anything in front of Alastair.

"Do they know who this girl was?" Alastair asked Rose. Inside my stomach did another somersault. _God, I hope not._

"No. No one's been reported missing, although of course you can't officially report anyone missing till they've been gone for 48 hours.''

"From what the waiter said, she didn't exactly put up a struggle. I think it'll turn out to all be a mistake. A lovers' tiff, or something," Alastair shrugged.

I gulped. Alastair was perceptive, and he had no idea. It wouldn't take much for those vultures out there to figure it out. Could I bury the story without it all coming out into the open? Could I be lucky enough to do that twice in one week?

"How discrete are the cops?" I asked Emmett, suddenly. He snapped his head up to look at me, and the look of surprise on his face mirrored Rosalie's and Alastair's. Thankfully, he understood what I was really asking him.

"If there is nothing to investigate it'll be dropped, no question. No need to waste their time when there's been no crime. The paps, on the other hand, are a completely different matter."

Rose nodded. She knew once they had their teeth into a juicy story, they would hold on like a rabid dog.

"I feel kinda responsible… not that it had anything to do with me, but I'm sure it's nothing and the girl is all right," I said in a rush. _You're_ _babbling, idiot! Shut up!_ I squinted at Emmett to make sure he knew not to give the game away. He gave a curt nod. I took a deep breath to clear my head. "Rose, can you find out what's happening for me? Ask someone you trust."

"Sure, I'll go ask Alice." Rosalie smirked at her own joke, and Emmett and I grinned back. It was a pun she used often.

"Thanks. Alastair, can you get Carlisle down here too, please? Tell him it's urgent I speak with him."

They both nodded and walked back to their offices. As soon as the press pack saw them through the glass, the shouting resumed in earnest. I caught Rose making a face at them before stepping into her office and closing the door firmly.

"What am I going to do, Em? I wish you hadn't been there. You could lose your job for helping me."

He shrugged his massive shoulders. "I was following your orders. Just doing my job."

She had said that last night. Those exact words. I shuddered, and swiveled my chair to gaze out my huge office windows.

I guess the waiter had come out just in time to see our getaway. He jumped to conclusions and called the police. Thankfully, he hadn't got a good look at us.

And now I couldn't get hold of Bella. My dick twitched as I thought of her and how I had last seen her, after she had taken off her trench coat to reveal that corset I liked so much. The role-playing thing was new and hot, and after spending three nights alone I couldn't get enough of her. We had kissed and fondled and groped in the car all the way back to the apartment, and made love wildly for hours as soon as we got in the door.

We needed to go public before anything else could go wrong, but I needed to talk to Bella about it first. I called Rose's extension and asked her to get Jane for me as soon as possible. "But don't let the vultures see her. Oh, and when you speak to Alice, ask her if Bella's around. I need to speak to her urgently and she's not answering her phones."

I scrubbed at my face. I was thankful for one thing: it had taken the heat off the Ben story. I was still in the thick of it, though. So far I was only considered a possible witness to an abduction, but it wouldn't take long for one of the reporters to connect my car with the one in the description, and Emmett and I to the descriptions of the men. Then would come the questions about who the woman was – and then who the woman was at Hayman Island. I was so screwed.

I was startled out of my reverie by the arrival of Carlisle, accompanied by the braying of the assembled media.

"Edward, what's this all about? Did you see this abduction business last night?" He sat on one of the couches in the centre of the room, and I rose to join him. We poured coffee, and I signaled to Emmett to wait outside.

As he shut the office door, I took a deep breath. "Carlisle, I'm afraid I may have done something stupid."

I didn't get any further before Rose came rushing back in, in a panic.

"Alice has told me what's going on. And it gets worse. Jessica Stanley is about to give a press conference – to detail the sexual relationship she's been having…"

"Go on," I frowned, wondering what could make Rose look as pale as a ghost.

"The affair she's been having… with you."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: A huge thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter. I had an amazing number of hits and even if I haven't replied to you all in person please know that I really do appreciate your interest. Sadly, there's probably just one more chapter to go. *Sob.***

**Big kisses also to my girls debb24601, FluffyLiz, Whitbysucks/girlpower and Totoro. Some of them have been soaking up the sun on holiday while I toil down here in the middle of winter, but I'm not bitter. Honestly ;)**

**As usual, pictures and music to accompany this chapter will be on my profile page and my blog, kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just making it all come to a bit of a head (twss). Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 14**

BPOV

The shower felt blissful, and I just wanted to stay in it forever. The warm water caressed my back and reminded me of Edward's hands all over me in the night. My mind wandered to the warm water in the resort's pool, and of making love in the shower in our suite. Edward had been very thorough when he washed me, making sure there was lots of lather on my breasts and between my legs.

I ghosted the back of my hand along the outer edge of my breast in an attempt to recall his touch. _Not the same electricity_. I sighed.

I had woken up feeling refreshed and happier than I had in a long time. Admittedly, I hadn't had a lot of sleep but after a couple of hours of hot reunion sex with Edward I had simply crashed. Yesterday had been so long – that God-awful six-hour camel ride to the airport, airline cattle-class for four hours, plus losing the three-hour time difference, and then waiting for Edward – I just wanted to let him fuck the memory of it out of me. And he had.

I remember waking briefly when it was still very early, to see him sitting at his desk reading papers from his box. He heard me stir and rose to return to bed and kiss me.

"I have to go soon," he had whispered. "Go back to sleep, you need more rest."

I didn't argue. He had caused me to miss quite a bit of shut-eye in the past week, one way or another. The last image I had of him was his fingers brushing my hair from my face as I drifted back off to sleep.

I looked at the clock: it was now 9.28am and I was probably late for work. Out the window I could see morning joggers and mothers with strollers competing for space on the footpath. It looked like a lovely day for a stroll around Oriental Bay, so I decided to walk to the office.

I grabbed a quick breakfast and cursed the fact I had only the clothes Edward had brought back for me here at the apartment. They were decidedly more tropical than my parliamentary attire should be, but I was the boss, it was summer and I expected few others to be in at work so soon after Christmas.

Edward's answerphone was blinking with several new messages, but I knew better than to listen to them; there was a chance I would hear a state secret by mistake. He could check them later.

My cellphone looked to have a dead battery, so I made a mental note to charge it when I got to work.

With sunglasses on, laptop bag in one hand and a water bottle in the other, I cautiously left the apartment and began my leisurely stroll. It was one of those rare, perfect Wellington days with no wind and sun for miles. Already the beach was filling up with toddlers, exhibitionist teens playing volleyball and tourists with cameras.

I walked along the sea side of the parade, past the golden beach and bobbing yachts, then wove in around the Overseas Terminal to take the waterfront walk from the national museum, Te Papa, to the city centre. I passed a sidewalk café boasting a sign which read: "Breakfast/Lunch/Pizza", and chuckled. _Ah, pizza, that important third meal of the day._

At the bronze statue of a naked man leaning into the wind, I rubbed his buttocks for good luck. I gave his bum a cheeky pinch and skipped away, giggling. I had remembered to charge my iPod after the plane yesterday, so I was listening to my upbeat walking music. "My House" by Kids of 88 came on and I picked up my pace around Frank Kitts lagoon.

By this stage of my walk I realised my limbs were aching after a day spent travelling in cramped conditions, followed by a night of exertions. Pausing to stop and watch some boys diving into the harbour, a frisson of excitement went through me as I spied Caius' restaurant and remembered my first night with Edward Masen. We had never gone back there, yet the place was so important to our relationship; the location of our first dance, our first kiss, the first time he called me _Bella bambina_.

I put my laptop bag on the ground between my feet and stretched my arms above my head. My back creaked as I arched it, but it instantly felt better. Thinking back to yesterday – had it only been yesterday? – I had welcomed Rose's company on the plane so much I almost cried. We had both been in the same position then – having to outwardly deny our relationships to keep up appearances – so to distract ourselves we had chatted about girly topics all the way home.

Rose had asked me if I had a reply to give Edward for his lovely note, but I couldn't think of the right words.

"I'll just show him how I feel," I had smiled at her cheekily.

Little did I know that I would have to wait so long to get him home. I knew we couldn't go to the apartment together from the airport, so after clearing Customs and seeing Edward's entourage driving away ahead of me, I caught a taxi to Angela's to shower and change. No one was home. Renee was still in Australia and Ange was out, presumably with Eric.

As I put on clean clothes I noticed my phone was flashing up a missed alert. Rose had texted me to say Edward had a meeting with Jane Alexander and would be late home. We had spent so much time apart in the last few days that I so desperately wanted to touch his face and lose myself in his eyes, so to have to wait was unbearable. But this was what life would be like with the prime minister. My life, if I wanted to be his first lady. And at that moment I decided I most definitely did.

So I came up with the idea of a sexy ambush. I knew I would blush when I saw Emmett and Tyler again. They had seen altogether too much of me in the car last night. I had tried to slow Edward down when we got home to the apartment, but he would have none of it.

"Wait… wait." I had tried to pull away from his roving hands and stay in character. "I have some questions for the Honorable Member."

"Mmmm. (Kiss.) "I'm only giving (kiss) oral answers right now." (Kiss.)

"Ohhh!" His tongue had stroked the hollow behind my ear and I had shuddered as he sucked my lobe into his mouth.

"Mmm? What was your question?" he breathed.

The hot air in my ear had given me goosebumps. "Is this an exclusive interview?"

"Only you. No one else. Forever. Mine."

"Good… ah!" His tongue had licked down my jaw to my neck and collarbone. "What did Jane say?"

"Come clean. This isn't wrong." His voice was muffled as he nuzzled between my breasts.

"No, it's not wrong," I groaned.

Edward had stopped and looked up at me. "I want to tell everyone. You are my life now." He kissed me with renewed passion, then dipped his head back to my cleavage. I could hear him quietly singing, "I don't see nothin' wrong…"

I cleared my throat. "One last question."

"Mmm?" His hands roamed down to untie my trench coat and let it fall open.

I shrugged out of my coat to stand before him in his favourite corset ensemble. "Is the Member standing again?"

"He certainly is."

Forty minutes after leaving Edward's apartment I arrived at my office. No one was around, and I silently gave thanks for the post-Christmas lull. Still, I had expected _some_ people to be around.

I had just plugged my phone in for recharging and was turning to make myself a coffee when I saw a tall, dark and – yes – handsome man standing in my doorway.

"Jacob! What brings you down here?"

"I was looking for you. Happy New Year! I have an exclusive for you."

The word "exclusive" made my heart race. "What's this about?"

"You'll need to come up to my office. I have a lot of evidence to show you." He spoke slowly and quietly, but I could tell he was excited.

"Evidence?"

"I think we've got him, Bella. I think we've finally got him!" He leaned towards me to whisper. "I have the evidence that will bring Edward Masen down."

_Oh, fuck._

With him standing over me, I didn't have any time to warn Edward or even leave a note for Alice. Jacob waited while I grabbed my notepad and digital recorder, and then almost led me by the arm through the parliamentary complex to his Bowen House office. I was surprised to see James Clarke and Jessica Stanley already there.

"I thought you said this was an exclusive?" I turned on Jacob.

"It will be. Jessica has helped us with our investigation, but she has other, um, other interests here. She doesn't want to break the story when she's part of it."

The shock on my face must have been blatantly obvious. How the hell did Jessica think she fitted into all of this?

James, the new Opposition leader, was sitting at Jacob's desk like it was his office. On the desk was a large pile of papers and photographs. He gestured for me to sit, and I took a chair opposite his. Jessica and Jake sat on either side of me, obviously content for James to run this little sideshow.

"Thank you for coming, Bella. We want to offer you this exclusive story because we value the professionalism with which you have always covered our party and the previous campaigns of Jacob's father." Jessica couldn't quite suppress a snort, for which James glared at her before continuing. "We have here what we believe is sufficient evidence of impropriety to force Edward Masen to step down." He pushed the pile towards me and nodded for me to take a look.

Pictures of Edward with his hand on Carlisle's shoulder, of him whispering in Carlisle's ear, and of Emmett with his arm around him for guidance were labelled "Plan A" with pink sticky notes. Similarly labelled was a copy of a bank statement listing payments to Emmett from Edward's personal account, on top of his DPS salary.

"I take it 'Plan A' is some sort of gay conspiracy?" I asked, suppressing a smirk.

"It was an avenue we pursued for some time, but there appears to be less evidence here than in our other file," James admitted. "The payments to the DPS officer concern us, though."

"This cop – McCarty - will be livid when he finds out you've had access to his bank account." _And questioned his masculinity._ James just shrugged.

Next in the pile was a photo of Rose straightening Edward's tie at a town hall somewhere, then one of him at an event with Esme. I picked up the next two photos and waved them so the others could see.

"These are me." One showed Edward holding my elbow as I stumbled at his investiture at Government House; the other showed him wearing a beanie and holding my hand at the airport when I got back from Ahitipua. The photographer must have been quick to capture that fleeting moment.

"We're aware some of the photos in that pile may be entirely innocent," Jacob began.

"We're not accusing _you_ of having an affair with Masen!" James laughed, and Jacob joined in. Jessica was suspiciously silent, watching my expression which I feared gave too much away. "Your picture is here as part of a mountain of evidence of inappropriate touching."

"This doesn't mean anything." I spread some of the other photographs out in a fan across the desk. "Handshakes, greetings… these are all legitimate." I pointed to a shot of Edward kissing Esme on the cheek on the doorstop of her house. It had clearly been taken with a long lens from the bushes, and it looked like Christmas Day. Underneath was one taken through a window of a red-faced Edward talking to Alice, who was crying. The date stamp in the corner told me it was while I was stuck at the volcano. "And this one doesn't have anyone else in it at all." I pointed to another long-lens shot of Edward gazing sadly out the window of his apartment. It was dated on election day, and the photographer must have climbed one of the Norfolk pines on Oriental Parade to have taken it.

"Keep going," Jake nudged me. "The really good stuff is at the bottom."

I flicked through a few more snaps from public events, talking to female dignitaries, laughing with Esme, being accosted by autograph-seekers and crazed cougars. I laughed when I saw one of the streaker from the Dunedin cricket match. "Well, I know he's not having an affair with _her_!"

The next photo stopped my laughter dead. It was taken at night at an intersection where Edward's MG had stopped at a red light. It was dark, but there was clearly a brunette in the passenger seat and it looked like they were kissing. Thankfully, neither face was very clear.

"Now she looks interested," James commented, as I pushed aside the inconsequential photos and began reading the other documents.

There was a letter from Edward's neighbour to the building's body corporate complaining about loud sexual noises from the Masen apartment keeping him awake at night. The neighbour noted that there appeared to be a woman living there "practically fulltime". I was sure I was blushing, but I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop from smiling.

A logbook from the gate at Premier House noted late-night exits of the MG, and Jacob's complaint to the Speaker was there about how the PM had ogled women at the parliamentary gym. "I was involved in this one, too," I said quietly, tapping my fingernail on the paper.

Next was a statement from a concierge at Hayman Island that Edward had arrived early for the summit with a woman, and a photo paperclipped to the page showed a blurry image of him and a brunette by the pool. A sheath of newspaper clippings referred to the Ben incident, with one alleging Edward had called out the woman's name before throwing the punch. That one made me shudder. Also in that pile were clippings from before Christmas when Edward was told off for texting in the House.

Thankfully, it appeared James didn't have any reports from the Navy about his orders to rescue me from Ahitipua. There was only one more paper to examine: an affidavit from Jessica that she had had sex with Edward in the Speaker's chair during the gallery Christmas party. Attached was another blurry photo, taken from high up in the gallery, of a woman straddling someone seated in the chair. Only the man's arms and lower legs were visible, and the only thing distinguishing the woman, apart from her long dark hair, was a pair of electric blue shoes. My shoes.

I looked at Jessica in disbelief. "Am I expected to believe this is you?"

She gave a sickly fake smile and reached for a shoebox on the floor at her feet. Without removing her fixed grin, she opened the box and removed a pristine pair of Mi Piaci heels identical to the pair I had ruined in the rain. Identical, except these had obviously never been worn.

I looked at the photo again and was relieved to see dark marks on the soles of my shoes. I had worn mine several times before that night, and here was evidence to disprove Jessica's outrageous claim.

Not that I was going to tell her that.

"Edward Masen would rather get leprosy than sleep with you," I seethed. Jessica looked as though I had slapped her in the face. I wish I had.

"Now, girls, there's no need to get catty." James raised his hands in a plea for us to calm. "Bella, I'm sure you agree Ms Stanley's, ah, reputation makes this allegation entirely worthy of investigation."

"But I can tell you don't believe her," I accused.

"I don't have to. I can create reasonable doubt, and the rest is done by the electorate and his own party. No one likes a scandal."

I was staring him down so intently I was shocked to realise Jacob had pressed a memory stick into my hand. "This has all the evidence on it. Study it and you'll see there is a story," he said.

"And if you won't cover it, you can bet any number of your colleagues will jump at the chance," James added. It was almost a threat.

I turned and fled the office in shock. The stick felt like it was burning my hand, so I shoved it in my pocket and was just bringing my arm out when someone grabbed me from behind.

"I'm going public, whether you like it or not," Jessica said, slightly too loudly.

"If you're going to lie, Jess, you really need to learn to lie better. No one will believe you."

"Yes they will. They know me."

"Why are you doing this?"

"My book was rejected. I need a new chapter. Mike Newton wasn't sexy enough, but Edward Masen will make me famous," she leered. "Oh, I know it was you with Masen. I have no idea how you, of all people, snagged him, but I know everything."

"You know nothing," I challenged.

"Yeah? I know enough. And I'm willing to take the heat for you. You should be grateful."

"Attention-seeking whore!"

"If you weren't so bad at this it would be laughable. For a start, rigging the media pool was a huge red flag."

"I didn't have anything to do with the pool."

"Maybe. But nothing pisses me off more than missing out on a free trip to a tropical island. That and those fuck-me shoes got me digging, and then that lovely husband of yours rang me." Jessica smiled like the Cheshire cat.

I didn't think it would be possible for me to get redder in the face. I didn't want to talk to her about Ben, so I pretended to ignore her last remark. If she had more proof she would have rubbed my nose in it by now. "Everyone will see through your lies. Those shoes are no evidence. Lots of people must have them."

"I know you do. I knew it was you in that photo, I just didn't know who was with you until recently. It's funny, I've always thought you were a dyke," Jessica spat at me. "At least, that's what your husband told me when I used to ride him in the back of your car."

That was the final straw. I slapped the filthy bitch across the face, then waited for her head to straighten so I could do it again.

Jacob Black came rushing out of his office and pulled us off each other. For a fraction of a second I wondered how much he had heard.

"Bitch!" she shouted at me as he led her back into the office.

"Stupid fucking whore!" I countered.

I didn't care who saw me. I ran as quickly as I could, tears streaming down my face. I had to warn Edward.

Stepping out of the elevator on the ninth floor of the Beehive, I walked straight into a small, dark creature running from the direction in which I was headed.

"Where the hell have you been?" Alice dragged me around the corner, away from the Prime Minister's offices. It took her a moment to notice my tears. "Oh my God, are you alright?"

"I have to see Edward." I tried to get away from her but her grip was firm on my arm. I used my free hand to wipe my face dry.

"You cannot go round that corner. The entire gallery is camped outside his office. No one's allowed anywhere near, and if you get in it will look suspicious, especially in your current state."

"The whole gallery? Oh, shit! But I thought Jake and James hadn't said anything yet?"

"What? What have they got to do with last night?"

"What about last night?"

"Haven't you heard the radio this morning?" Alice sighed.

"Um, no, I guess I haven't. What's going on?"

"Edward's got himself caught up in a reported abduction at the Bolton Hotel last night."

This didn't make sense. "I was there last night and I didn't see- oh! Fuck, Alice, that was me!"

"Eh?"

"We were playing investigative reporter and naughty politician. I, um, surprised him outside while he was waiting for his car. He kind of bundled me in it a bit roughly, I guess." I looked down at the carpet as Alice's eyes got rounder. "It was just foreplay," I muttered.

"Well, the police are involved and Rose is beside herself about what she can and can't say. Emmett might lose his job if he lies… Carlisle and Jane Alexander are in Pantydropper's office right now. Everyone knows they are hiding something, purely because they've brought the Spin Queen in." Alice gripped my arm tighter. "And now Jessica is trying to get in on the act."

"I know. She's already had a piece of my mind." I gave her a quick summary of what I had seen in Jake's office.

"Holy shit!" Alice exclaimed.

"So I need to warn Edward. He needs to know what he's up against, that it's not just a waiter at the Bolton who's out to get him."

Alice looked thoughtful. "Rose rang me a little while ago looking for you. Edward was worried because he couldn't get hold of you."

"Oh, my phone! The battery was flat and I left it to charge in the office."

"Well, maybe we can get a message to Rose. It won't seem odd for us to be talking to her… except she's under siege right now."

We were peering around the curved corridor, eyeing up the throng outside Edward's office door, when suddenly someone shouted, "Rosalie Hale!" Alice and I exchanged quick glances and edged towards the crowd.

Rose looked flustered as she came out the door, holding a single piece of paper in her hands. "Now listen here, you lot," she said gruffly before beginning to read. "There has been a great deal of speculation this morning regarding the Prime Minister and his activities. Mr Masen is keen to end this speculation, and to that end he will be giving a press conference in the Beehive Theatrette at 12 noon."

"Half an hour before Jessica's," Alice whispered to me.

"What's he going to say?" someone asked.

Rose gave them a withering look and spoke slowly, as if to a child. "If I told you, there would be no need for a press conference, would there?" She did patronizing so well. "OK, get out of here!" She waved her arms to shoo the reporters away. Alice and I held back to catch her attention.

"He's fine," she reassured me once everyone else had dispersed. "And before you ask, I really don't know what he's about to say. He's been in with Carlisle and Jane and it's all very hush-hush. He wanted to talk to you but you weren't answering the phone."

I explained about my flat battery. "Can I talk to him now?"

Rose looked anxiously around. "I can't really let you in. Alastair doesn't know what's going on, and if he saw you… I know, come down here." She led us to a narrow alcove full of office supplies and dialed a number on her phone. "Sir, sorry to interrupt you, but I have Bella here. She wants to talk to you." Rose smiled as she heard his response and handed the phone to me.

"Edward?"

"Bella! Are you OK? I was so worried. I couldn't get hold of you and so much has happened today."

"I'm fine. My phone ran out of battery and I got waylaid by Jacob Black and James Clarke. Baby, they've got a pile of papers and photographs and they're out to get you." I fingered the memory stick in my pocket as I told him what I'd seen and about my run-in with Jessica. I could almost hear him running his hands through his hair.

"We've just been talking here about our plan. Looks like it's time, honey." He sounded serious.

"OK. You know I trust you. Just remember, you mean everything to me. _Everything_." I emphasised the last word.

"You are the only one who has ever touched my heart. It will always be yours. I love you, bambina."

"I love you," I whispered, before I heard him hang up. I gave Rose her phone back and took a deep breath. "This is it."

Rose and Alice took my hands and gave them a squeeze in silent support. I managed a grim smile.

"We'd better get going," Alice said quietly.

Rose let go of my hand and I placed the memory stick in her palm. "Edward needs to know what's on this," I stressed. She nodded and wished me luck before returning to Edward's inner sanctum. Alice and I half-ran back to our office, where I grabbed my now-charged phone and a mouthful of over-brewed coffee, and then joined our colleagues trekking to the Beehive theatrette.

We took our seats in the middle and I nervously watched the door for Edward's arrival. To my surprise, after a few more reporters, through the door came Esme, who plopped heavily into the seat beside me.

Alice leaned across me, smiling. "Esme, you're puffing!"

"Carlisle called and I came as soon as I could."

"That's what she said," I deadpanned, and held my hand up for Ali to give me a high-five.

Esme was about to retort when the chatter in the room hushed. All eyes turned to see a grim-looking Edward, flanked by Emmett and Paul, beginning his descent of the steps. Behind them came Rose, Carlisle, Alastair and the imposing figure of Jane Alexander. None of them was smiling.

"It's time," Alice said.

I stood, took a deep breath and shuffled sideways out of the row of seats to place my recorder on the lectern. My hands were shaking as I looked up into the eyes of my beloved.

Edward's eyes softened when he saw me and he leaned forward, covering the main microphone with his hand. "Are you afraid?" he whispered.

"No."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I have been hugely fail at getting this written in a timely manner, so thank you all for being so patient and not sending me abusive messages asking when the hell I was posting. So, let's get into it and I'll do all my thanks at the end. **

**Twilight character names belong to Stephenie Meyer. Again, no copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without express written authorisation. **

**The Exclusive**

**Chapter 15**

EPOV

I felt like I was walking in slow motion as I entered the theatrette and made my way to the front. Most journalists were already seated haphazardly around the room in small clusters, while a handful bustled in front of me to place their recording devices on my lectern. The last one up to the stage was Bella.

Relieved to see her, but wary of the others in the room, I put my hand over my open microphone and asked if she was afraid. When she confidently told me she wasn't, I whispered, "Is your phone working again?" I was aware our exchange would be recorded for all to hear, but by the end of this press conference it wouldn't matter.

She nodded and smiled, then retreated back to her seat next to Alice, directly in front of where I stood. Seeing her gave me the confidence I needed.

I saw Jessica Stanley seated in the front row to my left, smirking. Emmett and Paul must've seen her at the same time and immediately moved to stand in front of her, guarding the stage in case she stormed it. Her face registered a second of panic before the fixed smirk returned.

I cleared my throat and looked around the room. "Good afternoon. I have a personal statement to make, and after that I'll take a few questions."

Bella gave me a smile but looked anxious. She had no idea what I was about to say.

"Are you having an affair with Jessica Stanley?" It was Lauren Mallory, who seemed quite proud of herself for having interrupted me. I leant forward on my lectern and stared her down.

"I don't do sloppy seconds."

There was a collective gasp, followed by hearty laughter. Jessica looked outraged and stood to say something, but Emmett and Paul were too quick for her. They each grabbed an arm and began to lead the squirming minx from the auditorium.

"What the hell is going on?" she shouted, and some of her colleagues echoed her question.

"As a result of a complaint to Parliamentary Services, Ms Stanley's press gallery privileges have been revoked. She no longer has the right to attend my press conferences… or my tropical junkets."

Jessica squealed and fought her escorts but they managed to get her out of the room. I had instructed them to stay with her as she collected her personal belongings, then escort her from Parliament's grounds.

"Oh, and her press conference in half an hour is obviously cancelled," I added.

Bella, Alice and Esme were grinning, and I chanced a smile back at them. Reporters were shouting all at once. Above the hubbub I heard someone say "You can't be serious!"

"I'm deadly serious. Information has come to hand about Ms Stanley's activities which have resulted in the complaint, and they are serious enough to warrant her exclusion from the building. I won't go into details now because that is a matter for Parliamentary Services, but I would like to address the allegation of an affair. Jessica Stanley ruined Mike Newton's life. Some of you might think that I benefited directly from that, but that wasn't due to any plot involving Ms Stanley and me. In fact, I would go so far as to say I wouldn't touch her with a 10-foot pole." I paused to make sure I had Lauren's full attention. "Or her skanky mates."

"So are you gay?" a male reporter shouted, a little too eagerly. I smirked.

"No, I am not gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that… Look, I know you all have a lot of questions. The answers are yes, no, to get to the other side, 1.77245, cat…" I looked around at the bewildered and bemused faces. "Just let me read my statement first. Then I'll be happy to answer anything you like."

With a quick glance at Bella's beaming face, I took a deep breath and looked at my notes.

"Less than two months ago, the New Zealand people elected me their leader. I had no idea then, just those few short weeks ago, how much my life would change. These changes have not only come about from the new job and all it entails running the country, but also from a change in my personal circumstances."

I could hear reporters leaning forward in their seats; they knew what was coming next would be good.

"I have begun seeing a wonderful woman, and we are in love." There were gasps around the room, mostly from women but also a few men. I paused and looked up from my prepared notes. "I'm not quite sure how much of this I should tell you. If you'll just excuse me for a second…"

There were nervous giggles and whispering as I whipped out my phone and sent a text. Bella's pocket must have vibrated because she blushed a furious shade of beetroot red. She took out her phone and her mouth dropped open.

Alice, leaning over her shoulder to sneak a look, squealed. Bella quickly typed a reply and my phone beeped. Murmuring around the room was silenced when I turned back to the microphone, grinning.

"It appears I do have something more to announce. I am engaged to be married."

The room was stunned. Everyone began speaking at once, even though I hadn't indicated question time. Alice was still squealing and clapping, while beside her Bella's eyes never left mine.

"I love you," she mouthed.

Behind me, Carlisle and Rose started clapping, proper applause, not like Alice's rapid-fire pitter-patter. Slowly the reporters stopped their shouting and joined in. I was overwhelmed. Normally they were at my throat.

"Thank you. Details have yet to be finalised but I think I can safely say we are both very happy. New Zealand needs a first lady and it's about to get one."

The first hand up was Lauren Mallory's. _Of course._ "So who is this mystery woman and how long have you been seeing her?" She glared at Bella and I heard her say under her breath, "It _can't_ be Swan".

"Well, let's see." I turned to Rose, who handed me a manila folder. I took out the contents and held up the first page, a photo reprint. "If the Opposition dossier I have here is to be believed, the mystery woman is my press secretary."

Rose blushed uncharacteristically as puzzled noises spread around the room. I pulled out some more photos. "Or Alice Brandon." She squealed again, and I gave her my best lopsided grin.

"Or Carlisle." He and I had practised a little routine. Carlisle stepped forward, a look of adoration on his face, but I put a hand on his chest to stop his advance. "Sorry, mate, it's not you, either. Or your lovely wife." I waved another photo at Esme. She and her two friends seemed to be enjoying this.

I picked up the remaining pile and dumped them on the floor in a dramatic thump which caused the room to fall silent. "It's not the mayor, or my police escort, or the party chairman's wife. James Clarke and Jacob Black want to paint me as some kind of depraved sex addict who's unfit to run the country. They have hired sleazy photographers to hide in bushes and up trees, for God's sake, to try and capture me in a compromising position. But if they had bothered asking me I might have saved them some time and money." I paused, and softened my tone.

"I have known the woman I love for several years now. When I first met her she wasn't able to be mine, but we recently found each other again and I honestly don't know how to live without her. When I saw her, everything changed. All of a sudden it's not gravity holding me to the planet – it's her." As much as I was trying not to, I found myself welling up. I smiled, seeing Bella was doing the same. Our moist eyes locked.

"I love her more than anything in the world, more than my own life, and – by some miracle – she loves me that way, too."

"Who is she?" someone called. I didn't see who – I was in a bubble with Bella.

I raised my eyebrows in a silent question and she nodded. "Bella, would you come up here, please?"

The collective gasp was so loud this time it was like all the air had been sucked out of the room. Or maybe I just felt the vacuum of Bella's huge intake of breath. She was bravely squeezing her way past Esme to the aisle without hesitation, just wanting to be with me.

Then she stopped at the foot of the steps onto the stage, and my heart lurched. She looked back at Alice, who frowned in confusion first at her, then at me. Bella appeared to be making her mind up about something. I could hear the whispering building in volume. Behind me, Rose touched my elbow and reassured me. "She's coming, don't worry."

_Don't run away. Don't leave me._

We all watched as Bella pulled out her phone and sent a brief message. She gazed at it for a moment before it beeped a reply. Smiling, she put the phone back in her pocket and mounted the steps. I could start breathing again.

I walked across the stage to greet her in a hug, and we were both startled as the room erupted in applause. I kissed her cheek and whispered, "Everything OK?"

"Perfect," she smiled. "I just told Jasper I quit."

"Are you sure? I mean, I know the consequences of this choice you're making."

"I know them too. I've thought it over, played it out a million times in my head, and the answer is always the same. I want to be with you. That's all that matters."

"Do you really have any idea how important you are to me? Any concept at all of how much I love you?"

She looked up through her lashes. "Why don't you show me?"

When my lips touched hers, there in front of everyone, that familiar feeling shot through my body. Yes, I got hard and my hands started to roam, but my mind also shouted at me: "This is my home. Mine… forever."

Somewhere, I could hear someone whooping. Pulling away from our embrace, we turned to see Alice standing on her chair, punching the air. Bella blushed that delicious shade of red again, and I pulled her close.

"You know everybody's staring?" she muttered into my chest.

"Mmm, not that guy…" I pointed. "Uh, no, he just looked. I'm breaking all the rules now anyway." We giggled, and walked arm-in-arm to centre stage.

Cameras were whirring and the flashes were quite blinding, so I turned to see how Bella was faring with the attention. Her head was tilted down slightly and the blush was still evident on her cheeks. I leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Don't worry, it'll be over soon and then I have plans to whisk you away from here".

She giggled again, probably at the way my nose was lightly tickling her ear. The cameras were going wild at our on-stage intimacy, and the reporters were yelling for Bella to speak. One loud male voice cut through the others. "Go on, give her another kiss, mate!"

"Eric," Bella said, shaking her head. When her eyes stopped rolling they settled on mine. "Shall we give them a show?"

Drunk on how well this was going, I thought to play it up a bit. An intense yet cheeky look came across my face and I ran my hands through my hair. I shook out my arms and jogged on the spot like a prize fighter ready for the bell. Eyes down on the floor, I stretched my neck and sniffed before letting out a big breath.

"OK, I'm ready." Keeping a straight face became impossible as I edged in slowly towards my girl. She had her eyes shut and stood perfectly still, waiting… waiting… waiting…

Suddenly, her eyes flew open. "Oh, for God's sake!" She lunged at me, knocking the air out of me with a loud "oomph!" She shoved one hand in my hair and the other under my suit jacket to the small of my back, then impressed the gathering by hitching her right leg up around my thigh like we were doing the tango.

"Careful there, bambina," I said as I pulled my lips away a fraction. "You already have the member's attention." To that she responded by grinding her hip even more into my tumescence. "Unfair," I muttered, disengaging myself to walk back to the relative cover of the lectern.

Carlisle and Rose came up to congratulate us, but I had one more thing to say.

"Before the celebrations start here, I still need to clear up some allegations against me." The room fell silent and Bella stepped back to listen. "Yes, I was at the Bolton Hotel last night, and it was me who was seen getting into a car with a young woman. That woman was Bella, who had come to meet me after my business dinner. She was not coerced into the car and I have two witnesses, one of whom is my DPS officer, who will testify to that.

"Yes, I took Bella to Hayman Island with me for a New Year holiday before the summit meeting. I paid for our trip myself and can produce receipts." I turned to look at Jane, who shook her head and frowned at me but I ignored her.

"While we were there I got into an altercation with Bella's ex-husband after he assaulted her. I went to her aid, and the Australian police aren't pressing any charges because I was defending her. She was being abused and I would do anything to prevent her from being hurt, by him or by anyone." I felt her hand slip into mine, and gave it a squeeze without turning around.

"Now, if the caucus wants to kick me out of this job for that, well, that's up to them. But I would do it again in a heartbeat." I glanced at Bella and smiled before continuing. "However, what the Opposition has done here is unacceptable. As well as hiring covert photographers, James Clarke and Jacob Black – with some help from Jessica Stanley – somehow managed to gain access to the private bank statements of a police officer who works here at Parliament. My office was alerted to this fact within the last hour, but already the bank involved has initiated an inquiry. I will be asking the Speaker to do the same, and if he finds the Opposition leaders to be guilty of fraudulently obtaining these documents then I expect these men to do the right thing and step down.

"The public wants us to be honest with them. We are politicians and we have a bad reputation, but I have come clean to you all today. I have no more secrets. I stepped out into the sunlight and exposed myself today – metaphorically – and I expect Clarke and Black to do the same. They must be held accountable and it is your job to see that that is done."

I took a deep breath and relaxed once more. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to spend some time with my fiancée."

"You promised to answer questions," someone called.

"What's he like in bed, Bella?" Alice shouted. My mouth fell open in shock but Bella stayed calm.

"Magnificent," she beamed.

"How soon before the wedding?" another voice asked.

"This is all a bit new so we haven't had a chance to talk about that yet," I said.

"Soon," Bella added. "Why wait? We've spent too long without each other as it is."

I smiled and pulled her closer. She knew just what to say. She'd make a perfect speech writer for me. I made a mental note to ask her later.

"What about your job, Bella?"

"I just quit. I'll probably take some time off and then see what happens."

"Will you move into Premier House?"

"Well, I'll be the Prime Minister's wife, so I imagine so," Bella said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Say that again," I said quietly to her.

"What? 'Prime Minister's wife'?" she grinned.

"Mmm. Sounds good." I knew we were in front of everyone – and being televised across the country – but I didn't care. I nuzzled her neck and kissed her jaw. "I love you."

"Good." Bella giggled as I found the special place in the hollow behind her ear.

Rose cleared her throat and stepped up to the microphones, elbowing me out of the way. "Well, that looks like the end of question time. Thank you all. I have details of the allegations against Ms Stanley and the Opposition leadership, which I will circulate to your offices shortly. OK, now get out of here!"

I wasn't really concentrating on what Rose was saying. Bella was in my arms, all our secrets were out in the open and I felt like a great burden had been lifted off my shoulders. I think Carlisle came up and shook my hand, or tried to because I didn't want to let go of Bella, and then she was surrounded by squealing friends. She peeled off me to give them a hug and I instantly felt I'd lost half myself.

Jane was talking to Rose and I caught sight of Alastair standing away from the rest of the group. I gave him a wry smile. "Sorry I couldn't tell you."

"I understand, sir. Congratulations to you both."

"Thanks. Um, we might want a little privacy in my office in a minute. Can you make sure that happens?"

"Certainly, sir," he blushed and bustled off.

The room was emptying but I became aware I no longer had my police escort. _Never mind, Rose is just as effective keeping unwanted attention at bay_. I called her over. "Rose, we need to leave."

Hearing my request, Bella farewelled her friends and we walked hand in hand back to my office. People called out their good wishes to us as we went. I felt on top of the world and couldn't stop grinning.

By the time we reached my office Alastair had ensured we had the place to ourselves. Rose disappeared, leaving me to lead Bella over to my desk. She looked around at all my things, and picked up the "Pantydropper" nameplate she and Alice had given me for Christmas.

"You actually put this on display?"

"Of course. It was a gift from you."

"What did Alastair say?"

"I think he thought it was from Rose. He heard her calling me that once."

She giggled and wandered to the window to look out. I waited a moment by my desk, enjoying the silence and my view of her framed by the window, before coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Hey, sweet potato," I whispered in her ear.

"Hey, you."

"Have I shown you my balcony?"

"I don't believe you have."

We stepped out into the bright sunlight and leaned over the railing to watch the city below. The streets were relatively quiet in early January, but even though it was midsummer there was a cool breeze up at this height.

"You were fabulous back there. How were you so… unnervous?"

She smiled and her eyes closed as I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and let my fingers trail down her neck. "I don't know. It felt right telling people. I've chosen my life. I want to start living it."

"And I want to give you things, not take things away from you. Are you sure about resigning? I don't want to steal away your future."

"You aren't. You're giving me a new life." She paused. "You once told me that without you I had it all. Pfft, I didn't have _you_, and that's what I needed. It doesn't matter to me what you are – prime minister or pauper – I will always love you."

I couldn't help the tears welling up in my eyes, but if anyone asked me it was just the wind. I clasped Bella's hand and dropped down on one knee.

"Isabella Swan, I promise to love you every moment of forever. Would you do me the extraordinary honour of marrying me?"

She didn't even pause. "Abso-freakin'-lutely!"

I stood and captured her lips in a kiss that left us panting. "Mmm, heaven."

I cradled her neck with one hand as I pulled her hips into mine. She groaned as our bodies pressed together and she felt my arousal. Her light summer dress was thin and I could feel how the cooler breeze was chilling her skin, tensing her nipples. I needed to taste them so I tried to push her shoulder straps down, but that didn't free them completely. Huffing in frustration, I reached around to the zip at her spine and began to open it.

Bella's shocked eyes opened and she looked around. "Out here?"

"No one will see us."

"News helicopters might. Or the people in that office block."

"Let them." I slid her dress down off her shoulders until the top half was hanging bunched at her waist. When I brushed my fingertips over her bra-clad nipples she moaned. I smirked, knowing that drove her wild, and reached around again to unclasp the lace and wire in my way.

Bella had her back against the railing and I remembered our room at Hayman Island. Distracted and horny, I was fumbling with the hook and eye when she reached behind and undid the bra herself, throwing it towards the open sliding door to my office. Her eyes told me she was as needy as I was. I fanned my hands to cover her back, keeping her warm, while I dipped my head and worshipped her breasts, licking and sucking and nibbling until she cried out. Her hands were desperate to find purchase on my arms, my shoulders, or my hips, but she was writhing so much all she managed was to untuck my shirt.

In a sudden feat of strength Bella pushed me back, sending me off-balance backwards into the small café table where I sometimes sat in the sun to eat my lunch. At once she was on top of me, straddling me as I fell back on the tabletop. She slid her hands under my shirt to comb the hairs on my lower stomach, and I groaned watching her breasts jiggle as she undid my belt.

_Oh my God, is she going to…? Ohhhhh – she is! Bella is taking me in her mouth on my office balcony. I've dreamed about this! Oh, fuck me!_

Her mouth was so warm and I could feel her tongue putting pressure right where I needed it. _God, she was good at this!_ "Baby, I'm gonna cum," I warned.

I could feel her smile as she looked up into my eyes. "Mmmm," she hummed, sending me over the edge.

"Oh, Christ!" I squeezed my eyes shut and shuddered as she swallowed everything I had to give. "Oh, God, I love you." Bella licked me clean, every last drop, then popped me back in my pants. "You deserve chocolate," I whispered, caressing her face.

She giggled. "Do you have some?" She started to get dressed as I walked back into my office to check my desk drawer. As if it knew we had finished – for now – the phone rang. I gave Bella an apologetic look as I answered.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to trouble you, sir." It was Alastair. "The deputy prime minister is here in my office. There's been a caucus meeting convened… he's here to take you to it."

I thanked him and hung up. Bella was dressed and waiting for me, and I could tell she knew something was up. "I have to go. Caucus is deciding my fate." I looked in my drawer and found some chocolate, which I passed to her with a lopsided grin. "Your reward, my darling."

"This isn't over. I'm still… unsatisfied." She stared at my crotch and licked her lips.

"I don't want to leave you and I don't know how long this will take. Maybe you should go home and I'll see you as soon as I'm done here – one way or another."

I could tell she didn't want to go, but there was no point in her waiting for me here on her own. We kissed, and I resolved to give her my mother's ring when I got home.

"Good luck, baby," she smiled bravely.

"Thank you, bambina. See you soon."

"I love you."

"I love you, too, 'Mrs Masen'.

...

...

Bella must have fallen asleep on the sofa waiting for me. She looked so peaceful I didn't want to wake her up, but I really wanted to speak to her. I threw my jacket over the back of a chair and sat down sideways at the piano. I was absentmindedly playing the opening bars of "_Message To My Girl_" when she stirred.

"How did it go?" She got up and walked over to me, placing her hands on my shoulders. "You look exhausted."

"I'm still PM. I got a bit of a telling off for covering up the Ben thing, but they accepted that I was defending you so I got to keep my job."

"That's wonderful!" She brought her arms round me in a hug and brushed her lips against my neck. "God, you smell good."

I felt myself stir, and I grinned up at her. "You like sweaty men? But, hey, don't distract me. I have something else to tell you. Clarke and Black are out on 'administrative leave'. I doubt they'll be back."

"I feel a little sorry for them."

"Why? They showed absolutely no respect. They should be incarcerated just on general principal."

Bella ran her fingers through my hair. "It's been quite a day, hasn't it?"

"But on a scale of fucking awesomeness it's definitely near the top," I grinned.

"I love a happy ending – they are so rare," she sighed.

"We deserve one. I've waited too long for you." I reached into my trouser pocket and pulled out a small blue box. Turning to face Bella, I pulled her down onto my lap. "I'd like you to have this. It was my mother's."

She opened the box and gasped at the beautiful yet simple five-diamond engagement ring inside. I could feel her trembling.

"Your mother had gorgeous taste. I would be honoured to wear it."

She couldn't stop the tears as I slid it on her finger. It fit perfectly, and my eyes welled up at the sight of her in Mum's ring.

"When shall we set the date?" I asked gently.

"I don't want to wait. Just get me to the registry office and let me sign the papers."

"Oh, I think we could do better than that. Besides, Alice and Esme would never forgive you if you robbed them of a grand occasion."

"True," she nodded.

We were silent for a moment, staring at the ring on her hand, until I remembered to ask her about her afternoon.

"I had a late lunch with the girls and then went to see Jasper. Quitting by text didn't seem very official," she smiled. "He's not very happy with me, but he understands. I think Alice will work on him so she can have my job."

"So will you come and work for me? I need you. You were so great today."

"Is it not enough just to have a long and happy life with me? You want me to write your speeches too?" she grinned.

"I'm greedy," I smirked. "I'm also hungry – I didn't get any chocolate _or_ any lunch."

"Hmm. You should take better care of yourself. You're lucky to have me," she pointed, teasing. "Maybe I should put you on a special diet…" I heard her mutter as she wandered towards the kitchen. "And you better be planning to take me on this kitchen counter when you've finished," she shouted back over her shoulder.

"Definitely."

I stood up to follow her, watching the sway of her hips as she walked away. A thought crossed my mind which stopped me dead in my tracks: I wonder if she would be willing to have another child? _Our_ child? My hand came to my mouth as I thought how wonderful that would be, and my head started to shake in amazement. We had plenty of time to talk about that.

We had forever.

THE END.

**A/N: This IS the end, but who knows? Maybe someday I'll pop in and see how Bella and Pantydropper are doing, or some of the other couples. I have some other story ideas on the go, so if you're interested put me on author alert. Aaaaaand, since this is the end, if you have ever wanted to review now would be a great time! **

**Huge thanks to my master betas debb24601, FluffyLiz, Whitbysucks/girlpower and Totoro. I honestly couldn't have done it without you *mwah!* Big smooches also to DreamySim1 for the gorgeous banner, which I loved so much I put on a coffee mug.**

**I'd like to thank my lovely DH for supporting me by not reading this, even though I bet he was seriously tempted, and my RL friend R who gave me my eggplanty nickname and inspired this story by having some pretty impressive connections. I hope she never reads it, either, in case she recognises something or someone, LOL! **

**As usual, pictures and music to accompany this chapter will be on my profile page and my blog, kiwiaubergine(dot)wordpress(dot)com, where you can also see my 30 Days of Rob Challenge selections (yes, that's why it's taken me so long to write this chapter – I'm easily distracted by the pretty).**

**Thank you all for reading this, my first attempt at fic writing. It's been a lot of fun.**


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